"That would certainly be a strong proof," I remarked; "but I think it is

unnecessary. The suspicion you have spoken of, Mr. Warne, has already

been raised by another gentleman in this city, and I have been requested

to discover whether or not it is correct."

"Why, you astonish me!" exclaimed Judge Key, "for Mr. Warne has not

mentioned the subject to any one but me, and I have never even hinted

anything about it except to you gentlemen."

"Nevertheless, I have suspected for some time that this Don Pedro was an

impostor, and have been trying to obtain positive proof of my opinion,

in order to save many persons here from being swindled by him. You are

acquainted with Senator Muirhead, Judge?"

"Oh! yes, quite well."

"He has taken enough interest in the affairs of his constituents to

place in my hands the task of exposing this man, Don Pedro, in his true

light."

"That seems very kind and disinterested on the part of our Senator,"

said Judge Key, with a quizzical smile; "but I will venture to say that

his interest has been excited more by the Don's marked attentions to

Mrs. Muirhead, than by the fear that some of his constituents would be

defrauded."

Of course I took no notice of this remark, although I was quite

convinced that such was the fact; but as the Senator was my client, it

would have been eminently improper for me to discuss his motives, and so

I turned to Mr. Warne.

"As you have already met this man under another name, Mr. Warne," I

said, "can you not go with me to meet Senator Muirhead, and tell him

what you know about him?"

"I must beg you to excuse me, Mr. Pinkerton," he replied. "You see, I am

in this country in an official capacity, and, while I am personally

perfectly satisfied of the truth of the statements I have made to you, I

cannot prove them; hence, I must be careful not to involve myself in a

difficulty which would compromise my position as a diplomatic agent of

Great Britain. I shall immediately give to the police, on my arrival in

London, a description of this man, and I presume that prompt action will

be taken to insure his arrest and extradition, in case his offenses

should come under the extradition treaty. But as this is a question upon

which the decision of both governments may be required, the delay may

enable this man to escape. I will use all my influence with the London

authorities; you will readily see, however, that personally I cannot

appear here as an accuser against him."

I recognized the force of Mr. Warne's objection, and did not press him

further, but Judge Key agreed to visit the Senator as soon as the latter

should return to the city. When I left Mr. Warne we had agreed that any

British official who might be sent to identify and arrest Don Pedro,

should communicate with me the moment he arrived in this country, so

that we could work together for the same object, though my whole duty in

the case would be to protect the interests of my client, Senator

Muirhead. I then returned to my room with Mr. Bangs, and made a new

move. I saw that more than two months would elapse before any news could

be expected from London, as Mr. Warne would be somewhat delayed in his

return home, and meantime, the Don would probably obtain a large advance

payment for his fictitious mines. If anything should occur to prevent us

from sending him to England, he might succeed in getting away with his

plunder before we could find any new grounds upon which to hold him. I

therefore instructed Mr. Bangs to write to the proper authorities in

Peru, Brazil, and Ecuador, describing Don Pedro and his numerous

suspected _aliases_ accurately, and asking that some steps be taken by

his victims to bring him to justice. It was true that we had no

extradition treaties with those countries, but nevertheless he might be

arrested and frightened into surrendering himself voluntarily. The

letters were dispatched at once, and duplicates were also forwarded by

the next steamer. There remained nothing further for me to do except to

keep a strict watch upon the Moritos to see that they should not slip

off suddenly with a large sum of money. The Diamond Company were in such

haste to bind the bargain with Don Pedro, by making him a large payment,

that there could be no hope of preventing the partial success of his

scheme. Whether I might not be able to force him to disgorge afterward

was uncertain, but I determined to use every means in my power to

accomplish such a result.

CHAPTER V.

_The third Detective is made welcome at Don Pedro's.--The Senor is

paid the first half-million dollars from the great Diamond

Company.--How Don Pedro is "working" his Diamond Mines.--Very

suspicious preparations.--The Don describes his proposed Fete

Champetre._

One evening, as the members of the Morito family were about to retire,

Monsieur Lesparre noticed a nervousness and abstraction in Don Pedro

such as he had never shown before. Thinking that something new might be

learned by overhearing the conversation between the Don and Donna when

they should be alone, Lesparre, instead of going to his own room,

slipped into an unused closet adjoining the Don's dressing-room, and

communicating therewith by a door, which was kept locked. There was a

transom over this door, and, by climbing to one of the shelves, Lesparre

could hear all that was said in either room of the Don's bedroom

_suite_. He had hardly taken this position when the two entered their

apartments.

"See what a handsome necklace that old fool Mather sent me to-day," said

the Donna.

"Yes, it is very elegant and valuable," said Don Pedro, with a yawn;

"but what we most need is money. However, I do not imagine we shall have

any difficulty, for I expect a large sum in a few days from the

stockholders in this Diamond Company. Still, you may as well get all you

can out of Mather and the others, for we must keep up our present style

of living to the end."

Just at this moment the shelf upon which Lesparre was sitting gave a

loud creak, and he had only just time to slip down and regain his own

room before the Don came out to see what was the matter. Fortunately,

there was a large pet cat in the hall, and she received the credit of

having made the noise.

The next day, on hearing Lesparre's report, I decided to place still

another detective in the Morito mansion, and so I instructed Lesparre to

recommend the employment of a young man to assist the butler and to do

general work about the house. As I expected, Don Pedro acquiesced in the

suggestion, and told Lesparre to engage such men-servants as he

considered necessary. Accordingly, I at once telegraphed to Chicago to

have a young fellow named George Salter sent to Gloster at once. He was

a very intelligent French Canadian, and I chose him because of his slim

build, his ingenuity, and his capacity as an eavesdropper. He could

listen to a conversation with such a stolid expression that no one would

imagine he had an idea in his head beyond the performance of his regular

tasks, and even when caught in a place where he had no right to be, he

could invent a plausible reason on the instant, which would divert all

suspicion from him. On his arrival in Gloster, he was sent to ask

employment of Monsieur Lesparre, and, of course, the latter was so

pleased with him as to engage him at once. He made himself very useful

in the house, and soon became popular with every inmate.

A few days later a meeting of the stockholders of the Diamond Company

was held, and it was agreed to make a payment of five hundred thousand

dollars at once, another like sum when the title-deeds should be

delivered, and the balance within one year from that time. This

arrangement was satisfactory to the Don, and the sum of half a million

dollars was paid over that day in the checks of the different original

subscribers. The meeting then appointed a committee of two to visit Peru

and examine the property. There was some difficulty in selecting two

gentlemen who would be willing to go, and yet who would be satisfactory

to the others; but Deacon Humphrey and John Preston were finally chosen.

Either of these gentlemen was willing to go anywhere at others' expense,

and it was believed that John Preston was too well versed in fraudulent

practices to let any one else do any cheating; hence, he was sent to

investigate the mines, and Deacon Humphrey was sent to see that John

Preston should not steal them. They were not to depart on their mission,

however, until the title-deeds were received from Peru and delivered to

the directors.

Don Pedro passed the checks over to Lesparre, and informed the meeting

that he had already sent to Peru for the deeds, and that the directors

should be informed the moment they should arrive; thereafter, all

business matters relative to his interest in the mines would be attended

to by Robert Harrington, Esq., who would be his attorney in fact. The

deeds would be directed to Mr. Harrington, and that gentleman would

deliver them to the directors, receive the second payment, and give his

receipt therefor.

This arrangement was satisfactory to all, and the meeting adjourned in

good spirits, every man feeling that the Don had done him a personal

favor in accepting his check in part payment for such a valuable

property.

The Don, having indorsed the checks, instructed Lesparre to present them

at once for payment, each at its own bank, and to bring the money to the

house; he was to obtain as much as possible in gold, as the Don

professed to have little confidence in the bills of private banks.

"They may be perfectly sound, Lesparre," he said, in an off-hand way,

"but then, you know, we foreigners are accustomed to government bills,

or gold, and so I prefer to have the latter."

Taking Don Pedro's carriage, Lesparre visited each bank, and by the time

he had cashed the last check, he had a considerable weight of gold and a

large amount of bills, about two-thirds having been paid in coin.

Lesparre and Salter carried all the money up to the Don's dressing-room,

where the Don and Donna were sitting.

"There, my dear," said Don Pedro to his wife, "this is the first

installment of the purchase money of the diamond fields, so that now it

will not be long before they will be thoroughly worked. The directors

have promised me that you shall have the finest diamond set that the

mines can produce within a year from this time, as a present from the

company, and you need no longer plague me for not having tried to work

them before."

"Oh! Pedro, how lovely!" exclaimed the Donna; "you know I have always

wanted you to open those mines, and I am so glad that you have

consented. Now I shall have a set that I shall be proud of."

"Well, I did not like to give up the old estate to strangers, I

confess," replied the Don; "but now that it is done, I do not regret it.

If you wish any money, help yourself; you can write to your agents in

Rio that they need not send any more for the present, for we shall have

as much as we can use for a year or two. George," he continued,

addressing Salter, "you will find a stout iron box in the attic, and I

think it will serve as a safe for the present. Bring it down here and

put it in this room."

The box was soon brought, and the Don checked off the packages of gold

and bills as Lesparre packed them away, the gold at the bottom.

"Now, you can check against my bank accounts for our current expenses,

Lesparre," said Don Pedro, with a complacent smile; "and when the funds

on deposit are exhausted, I will give you cash monthly to pay all bills

as heretofore. I intend to give a grand _fete champetre_ soon, as a

lesson to these Gloster people how to enjoy life. I propose to engage

one of the islands in the river at once, and begin the necessary work of

preparing it artistically for the scene of our revelry. I shall choose

one of the large wooded islands with ridges and ravines running through

it, and it will take about two weeks to clear away the underbrush, to

clean up the grass and prepare the landing-places. Then, by the end of

another week, the weather will be delightful, and our arrangements will

be completed. I will make the place a fairy spectacle, such as the

unimaginative inhabitants of Gloster never dreamed of, and then we will

prepare for our summer trip to Newport and Saratoga. What do you think

of the plan, Monsieur Lesparre?"

"It is an admirable one, and I feel sure that the people of Gloster will

enjoy such an entertainment far more than any that has ever been given

here."

"Well, I shall rely largely upon your assistance," continued the Don,

carefully locking his safe as he spoke, "and we must divide the duties

between us, though of course my time will be somewhat taken up by

society. Suppose we issue invitations for three weeks from to-day?"

"Better say five weeks, if not six," replied Lesparre, anxious to delay

Don Pedro's departure as much as possible in order to obtain an answer

to our letters to Peru and Brazil. "You see, the people here are not

accustomed to such gayeties, and it will take some time to prepare their

minds to appreciate it."

"Yes, that is true," said the Don, reflectively; "but I do not like to

defer it so long. However, let us compromise by fixing one month hence

as the time, and we will make it a masquerade as well as an outdoor

_fete_. The guests will then have ample time to prepare their costumes,

and we can give that as a reason for issuing the invitations so long in

advance."

The Don was in no special hurry to escape with his plunder, but neither

was he desirous of remaining too long in the vicinity of his victims;

hence, although he had no suspicion that his schemes had been discovered

by any one, he fixed an earlier date than that suggested by Lesparre in

order to prevent the probability of any accident occurring to mar his

plans.

Lesparre immediately ordered the cards of invitation, and in a few days

all Gloster was in a state of pleasurable excitement over the news of

the coming event. Never had such a commotion been created in the placid

waters of society as was raised by the delicate cards of invitation to

Senora Morito's _fete champetre_ and _bal masque_. The number who

received invitations was enormous, including every individual having any

claims to be regarded as a member of good society. From that time

forward, Lesparre was so busy with the preparations for the _fete_ that

he was able to see very little of the rest of the family except in the

evening. The Don and Donna and Madame Sevier continued their usual round

of dissipation and gayety, however, and "all went merry as a marriage

bell."

Still there were some curious features of their conduct which I regarded

with suspicion. Every day the Don gave Lesparre a large sum in

bank-bills to be exchanged for gold, and the coin was then locked up in

the iron safe. Then the Don and Donna held frequent conversations in

Spanish, during which it was easy to see by their manner that they were

discussing an affair of great importance. Madame Sevier found a

newly-purchased traveler's guide-book in the Donna's bureau, and from

various marks and turned pages it was evident that it had been carefully

consulted with reference to an ocean voyage. These things led me to the

conclusion that the Don was preparing for a journey, and the fact that

he made no mention of it, even to Lesparre, showed that he intended to

go secretly. To all his acquaintances he spoke freely of his

contemplated tour of the watering-places during the summer, but he

always promised to spend the following winter in Gloster, without fail;

hence it was clear that he was playing a double game, to deceive some

one. I could only wait further developments, and heartily wish for

advices from Peru or England.

In company with Judge Key I called upon Senator Muirhead, on the return

of that gentleman from the session of Congress, and we discussed

together the best plan to pursue, to foil the schemes of Don Pedro. The

Senator was very anxious to proceed against him immediately, with the

intention of showing him up in his true character, and thus saving his

victims from any further loss.

"Indeed, Senator Muirhead," I replied, "I am as desirous to arrest his

fraudulent operations as yourself, but I want to be sure of success

before I do anything, and I do not see my way clear to act just now. At

present we can prove nothing whatever against him; in fact, the only

charge we could make would be that of obtaining money under false

pretenses. Now, what evidence could we bring to substantiate the

accusation? There is no judge living that would hold him on my or your

individual opinion that he has sold mines which do not exist, and we

should have nothing else to offer."

"Yes, but you forget his forgeries in other countries," interrupted the

Senator.

"In the first place," I replied, "you could not charge him in this

country with crimes committed elsewhere, even though you had the

positive proof of those crimes. If you charged him here with obtaining

money under false pretenses, you could produce no testimony except such

as bore upon the specific act alleged in your complaint; all other

testimony would be ruled out. But, even suppose that such testimony were

admissible, can you produce any witness to his crimes in other

countries? Indeed, admitting again that these crimes were proven, can

we establish the identity of Don Pedro P. L. de Morito as the

perpetrator of those crimes? No, sir; we have not a single witness; I

ask you as a lawyer, Judge Key, am I not right?"

"You are correct in every particular, Mr. Pinkerton," replied the Judge.

"I confess that you present the difficulties of the case more forcibly

than I could have done myself."

"Yes, you are right, Mr. Pinkerton," said Senator Muirhead; "I do not

see that we can do anything; yet it seems shameful to sit idly doing

nothing, when we know that this scoundrel is obtaining such immense sums

from our people. What do you propose to do in the future, Mr.

Pinkerton?"

"I can hardly tell what may be possible as yet," I answered; "but I feel

sure that I shall not only prevent him from securing any more plunder,

but also wrest from him that which has already fallen into his hands. He

feels secure in the possession of this large sum, and he is in no great

hurry to get away; he will undoubtedly remain until after his _fete

champetre_ at least. Before that time, I hope to hear something definite

from either England or Peru, and then I can act with a power in reserve

in case our own means should be insufficient to enforce our demands for

restitution. Any action against him now would only result in hastening

his departure with all the money he has gained, for I am certain that we

could not hold him."

"Well, I see that nothing can be done now," said the Senator,

despondently; "but do not lose sight of this man for a moment, Mr.

Pinkerton, for he seems an adept in all the tricks of crime."

"Never fear, Senator Muirhead," I replied, cheerfully; "I feel sure that

we shall eventually not only bring his career here to a hasty close, but

also recover the money which he has fraudulently obtained."

When we parted, the Senator was a little more hopeful, though he said

that he should not be at all surprised if Don Pedro outwitted us after

all. The loss to the Senator's friends would, of course, be very large;

but, perhaps, the lesson would not be a bad thing for them; they would

know better thereafter than to part with their money so foolishly.

That same evening the Don and Donna, Monsieur Lesparre, and Madame

Sevier, were engaged for the evening at a dancing party given by Judge

Peter B. Taylor. Knowing of their intentions to attend this party, I saw

an excellent opportunity for Salter to examine the private apartments of

the Don and Donna. Accordingly, after the family had gone away in the

carriage, Salter began to talk to the other servants about the

advantages of belonging to a family where the domestics were allowed to

do as they pleased, instead of being so carefully watched. The laundress

then related how much less pleasure they had, now that Madame Sevier was

in charge of the household.

"Why," said she, "before this French woman came, the servants here had

as good a time as any one could ask. Many a fine ribbon, or

handkerchief, or bit of a collar, they picked up unbeknownst to the

Donna; and, as for aitin', why there was niver a lock on any storeroom

in the house, so that there was lashins of good livin' in the kitchen as

well as in the dinin'-room. But when this Madame Sevyay came, she put

everything under lock and key, and she snapped off the old cook's head

in no time for sassin' her. Jist so with the men; this Lesparre, the

Don's private secretary, is as close with the men as the Madame is with

the women. The butler used to often bring a nice bottle of wine into the

kitchen for us to be merry over, but he can't do it now."

"Well, I believe I can find something to drink by a little search," said

Salter, with a knowing wink at the laundress and chambermaid. "You wait

here, and I'll see what I can do to provide a glass of wine all 'round.

"Oh! would you dare?" asked the handsome chambermaid, looking at Salter

admiringly. "Ain't you 'fraid you'll be caught?"

"No, indeed; I believe I can get a bottle of port out of one of the

rooms upstairs, without any one ever discovering its loss. Anyhow, I'm

going to try, so you all stay here while I make search."

Accordingly, Salter went straight to the Don's room, to which he had a

key. Having received from Lesparre an impression of the locks of the

house several days before, I had had a skeleton key made, which would

open almost any door about the place. While apparently engaged in

cleaning the door-knobs, it had been a very easy matter for him to take,

in wax, a complete impression of the wards of all the door-locks, with

out attracting suspicion. He now had no difficulty, therefore, in

entering the Don's room, where he found that the Don had removed his

iron chest from his dressing-room to his chamber, it being placed at the

head of the bedstead. On trying to lift the box, he found that it was

very heavy indeed, requiring all his strength to stir it. This was due,

of course, to the coin which had been put into it, and Salter's

testimony, therefore, corroborated Lesparre's. Salter then, in

accordance with my instructions, carefully bored holes through the door

leading into the closet in which Lesparre had once listened to a short

conversation between the Don and Donna. He arranged these holes so that

they would not be detected by the eye, and having thus prepared an

excellent place for listening to the occupants of the chamber suite,

Salter returned to the kitchen. On the way, he opened the dining-room

sideboard and captured a bottle of port wine, with which he entertained

the other servants in fine style.

Meanwhile, the Don and his party had been received with the utmost

cordiality by Judge Taylor and his wife, who felt quite proud to be the

first to entertain such distinguished guests after the sale of the

diamond mines, and the issue of the invitations to the Don's grand

_fete_.

Every one had talked about the affair, but no one felt exactly sure what

a _fete champetre_ was, and so United States Commissioner Charlie Morton

determined to ask the Don himself what his entertainment would be.

Accordingly, as Don Pedro approached with Mrs. Arlington on his arm,

Morton greeted him pleasantly, and said:

"Don Pedro, every one who has received an invitation to your _fete

champetre_ is dying of curiosity to know what it means, and so I am

going to take the liberty of asking you to explain it. I freely confess

my own ignorance, and I know that there are a great many others no

better informed than I am, who would be ashamed to admit that fact; but

I cheerfully acknowledge that I have never attended one, and I don't

know how I shall be expected to dress nor to act. So please tell me all

about it, and I will promise to spread the news among my acquaintances."

"My dear sir," replied Don Pedro, politely, "I admire your frankness,

and I shall take pleasure in explaining the principal features of our

_fete champetre_. It was the Donna Lucia's desire and mine to devote one

day to enjoyment, and we therefore decided upon giving an entertainment

in the open air which should combine every species of gayety and social

recreation. It is our intention to embark in the forenoon and proceed by

steamer to one of the large islands in the river. There everything will

be prepared for outdoor enjoyment; there will be boats and

bathing-houses; swings and archery-grounds; billiard-tables and

bowling-alleys; in short, opportunities will be provided for the

gratification of every one's tastes. About five o'clock a dinner will be

served, the _menu_ for which will include every procurable luxury of the

table, and after dinner, the evening will be spent in dancing on the

open platforms or in enclosed ballrooms, according to the preferences of

the guests, while magnesium lights and colored lanterns will give all

possible brilliancy to the scene. Dazzling displays of fireworks will be

given at intervals during the evening, and when we finally leave the

island on our return to the city, a grand illumination of the whole

island will take place as we steam off into the darkness."

[Illustration: _Don Pedro explaining the Fete Champetre._]

Quite a group had gathered around while the Don was speaking, and as he

closed, there was a general murmur of admiration. The whole affair was

planned on a scale of such magnificence as to appear almost too

wonderful to be believed, but the Don had shown such fertility of

invention previously, that there was no doubt he was quite equal to

creating a scene of oriental splendor such as had never before been

witnessed in this country.

"Well, I admit frankly," said Charlie Morton, "that we Americans must

learn the art of enjoying life from foreigners, and I think there is no

doubt that Don Pedro is a most adept master of its mysteries. Is there

not something said in the invitations about appearing in masks, Don

Pedro?"

"Oh, yes; I forgot to say at first that there will be much amusement in

requiring every guest to be dressed in fancy costume and to wear a mask.

The masks will not be removed until the dinner is served, and then, at a

given signal, the guests will expose themselves in their own

characters."

The Don's description of the intended programme for the _fete_ was soon

repeated through all the fashionable circles of Gloster, and the

expectation of the whole city was raised to a high pitch. No other

social event had ever created a like excitement, and it was the theme of

conversation at all times and in all places.

The day following the Taylor's party Don Pedro seemed to have determined

to get rid of as much paper money in exchange for gold as possible, and

during the day he sent more than twenty thousand dollars to be

exchanged; of this amount Lesparre and Madame Sevier handled the greater

portion, but even the young man, Salter, was entrusted with three

thousand dollars in paper, for which he obtained gold at a trifling

discount. This method of exchanging money was repeated several times, it

being evidently the Don's intention to retain nothing but gold in his

possession, and as he had already obtained the greater portion of his

plunder in coin, it was not long before he had accomplished his object.

Meantime, the preparations for the _fete_ went on apace, and the time

of the Don and Lesparre was quite fully occupied in planning and

arranging the details. The Senator called to see me daily, and his

constant urging somewhat excited me, so that I became nervous and

apprehensive myself. Still, no news came from abroad, and I could do

nothing.

CHAPTER VI.

_A Mysterious Stranger.--An unexpected Meeting and a startling

Recognition.--An old Friend somewhat disturbs the Equanimity

of Don Pedro.--The Detectives fix their Attention upon Pietro

Bernardi.--Pietro and his unpalatable Reminiscences.--The

Donna shows Spirit._

"Early one forenoon Salter was called to the front door by a violent

pull at the bell, and on arriving there he confronted a rather

disreputable-looking character, who eyed him with an extremely

distrustful look. The man appeared to be about thirty years old, and he

was evidently a foreigner. He was tall, well-formed, and muscular, and

his general bearing was quite at variance with his ragged, dirty

clothing. He had black hair and moustache, a swarthy complexion, small

feet and hands, the latter soft and well-shaped, and his dark eyes were

piercing and brilliant.

"Good morning," he said to Salter, with a haughty nod; "is Don Juan at

home?"

"No such person lives here," replied Salter, partially closing the door

upon the wolfish-appearing stranger.

"I have good reasons for believing that Don Juan _is_ here," replied the

man, "and is doubtless the guest of the gentleman who resides here. At

any rate, I know that he is now in this house, and I want to see him

very much. He would be equally glad to see me if he knew I were here;"

and so saying, he pushed Salter aside and entered the hall.

This action still further prejudiced Salter against him, and he said:

"Perhaps you mean Monsieur Lesparre, who is a guest of my employer?"

"That may be," replied the man; "please say that I wish to see him

immediately."

Salter did not care to leave the stranger alone, and so he told one of

the female servants, who was dusting the parlor furniture, to call

Monsieur Lesparre. That gentleman was in Don Pedro's room, discussing

some plans for the _fete_, and, when informed that a stranger wished to

see him, he told the servant to show him to the room where he usually

transacted business. As the man passed before Don Pedro's door, however,

Lesparre stepped out to learn who it was.

"This man wishes to see you, Monsieur Lesparre," said Salter, who was

following the stranger.

"That is not the gentleman I asked for," the latter replied.

At this instant Don Pedro came into the hall, and, as his eyes fell upon

the stranger, he gave a sudden start, and became very pale. The

recognition was mutual, for the newcomer rushed forward and said:

"Ah! Don Juan, I am delighted to meet you again. I knew I was not

mistaken when I saw you yesterday and recognized----"

"There, there!" interrupted the Don, giving the speaker a warning look,

"I am glad to meet you again, Pietro; walk into my room, and sit down."

Lesparre was about to follow, but Don Pedro stopped, and whispered to

him:

"Excuse me a short time, my dear Lesparre; this is an old acquaintance

whom I knew in better circumstances years ago. He seems quite reduced

now, and he may be sensitive enough to object to telling the story of

his loss of fortune before a stranger;" and, so saying, the Don retired

to his room, leaving Lesparre and Salter outside.

The latter immediately hurried into the closet, where he could hear the

whole conversation within the room.

"Well, Pietro," began the Don, "where are you from? You have not been

fortunate, it is evident; but how did it happen?"

"You are right; I have had bad luck," replied Pietro. "It is the old

story; I have had thousands of dollars at times, and have lived like a

prince; and again I have been badly treated by Dame Fortune, and have

lived as I could; but I have never before been so very miserable and

poor as now. Positively, it is most providential that I have met you,

for I have eaten nothing for twenty-four hours."

"Indeed, Pietro, you shock me," replied the Don, sympathetically; "shall

I order some breakfast for you?"

"No; I can wait awhile, and I do not care to be seen by your servants

until I get better clothing. But tell me where you have been since we

parted in Peru. You have certainly been as fortunate as I have been the

reverse; do you make much by gambling?"

"No, Pietro; I gamble very little, except in an occasional game of cards

with gentlemen of my acquaintance; but I made a good sum--that is,"

continued the Don, checking himself a moment, "I made a wealthy

marriage, and my wife's fortune is ample for us both. By the way, how

did you happen to find me?"

"Well, I have been enjoying life in New Orleans for some time, and,

having won quite a large amount there, I decided to come North as the

mild weather began. So I started a month ago on one of those enormous

Mississippi steamboats, and, of course, I gambled whenever I could. My

luck was bad from the start, and, on arriving here, I had nothing except

my clothing and jewelry; these I pawned gradually, and soon I was

reduced to my present condition. Yesterday I met you as you were

entering the Globe Hotel with a party of gentlemen, but I did not want

to mortify you by speaking to you in company; so I waited until you came

to this house, intending then to call upon you late in the evening, when

no one would see me; but you went out in your carriage, and remained so

late, that I put off my visit until this morning. I thought that,

considering our former relations to each other, you would be willing to

set me on my feet again."

"I shall be very glad indeed to do so," replied the Don, eagerly, "and

you must tell me what you wish to do, and where you wish to go."

"Well, just now I should like to go to breakfast, Don Juan," said

Pietro, with a gaunt smile; "but I have no money to pay for my meal."

"Don't call me 'Don Juan,' my dear friend," said the Don. "I have

adopted another name for use in this country, and of course no one knows

me except as Don Pedro P. L. de Morito."

"Oh, ho! is that all there is of it?" asked Pietro, with a laugh. "Well,

I shall remember in future to call you 'Don Pedro'; but what can you do

for me in the way of money and clothes?"

"I will give you fifty dollars at once, and you can get a new outfit

yourself; then, when you call again to-morrow morning, we will talk over

your future plans. I have a very important engagement to keep in about

fifteen minutes, so I must ask you to excuse me now."

"But I can't get any respectable suit of clothes and underclothing for

fifty dollars," replied Pietro.

"Well, here are fifty dollars," said the Don handing a roll of bills to

Pietro, "and my secretary, Monsieur Lesparre, will give you an equal

amount. You will then have enough to satisfy your immediate wants, and

we will arrange the rest to-morrow."

So saying, the Don called Monsieur Lesparre and introduced the stranger

as Pietro Bernardi, a fellow-countryman in distress. The Don was quite

pale and nervous, and though he did not show any marked signs of

agitation, a close observer, like Lesparre, could readily see that his

new visitor was anything but a welcome one.

"I wish you to give Senor Bernardi fifty dollars, Monsieur Lesparre,"

said the Don, "and order breakfast for him here, if he wishes it. I am

going out immediately, as I see the carriage is waiting for me, but I

shall return at lunch-time. _Au revoir_, gentlemen; call about nine

o'clock to-morrow, Pietro."

The Don then went to his carriage, and Pietro followed Lesparre to his

business-room, where he received an additional fifty dollars. Pietro

quickly stowed the money away in his pocket, and walked abruptly out of

the house, saying:

"I'll not trouble you to prepare breakfast for me, as I can get it down

town just as well."

The moment Pietro was gone, Lesparre called Salter out of the closet,

and sent him out on an errand ostensibly; of course, his real duty was

to "shadow" Mr. Pietro Bernardi, and report the occurrences of the

morning to me. Salter kept his man in view until he was seated at a

popular restaurant table, and then, knowing that some time would be

required before the Peruvian's appetite would be satisfied, my detective

hurried to my office, and made his report. As it would not be safe to

detain Salter long away from his duties at the Morito residence, I

decided to keep a watch upon Bernardi myself until Mr. Bangs could send

me a man from Chicago. Having sent a telegram to Mr. Bangs, I went to

the restaurant at once, being joined by Judge Key on the way. Together

we entered the restaurant, and I quickly discovered Bernardi still

lingering over his breakfast. We each ordered a cup of coffee, and I

informed the Judge of the new developments in the case as brought out in

the conversation between the Don and Bernardi.

"My opinion is," I said, in a tone audible only to the Judge, "that this

man, Bernardi, knows some important facts relative to the past life of

Don Pedro, and if we can pump this information out of him, we may

thereby obtain valuable assistance in our endeavors to outwit the Don.

Now it shall be my aim to learn all that this man knows, for it may give

us the means of proceeding against Senor Morito immediately; but even if

it should not, we may need such information very much. You see, it is

not impossible that we may be forced to use threats to make him

disgorge, for I shall not let him escape with his plunder without a

struggle, even though no news whatever should come from Peru or England.

At present, however, we will devote some time to this Pietro Bernardi,

and see what he can tell us."

The Judge fully concurred with me, and said that, as I might be too busy

to see Senator Muirhead, he would call upon that gentleman and tell him

the latest news. We accordingly sipped our coffee slowly until Bernardi

was ready to go, and then I followed him at a little distance, while the

Judge went to call upon Senator Muirhead.

Bernardi slowly sauntered down the street, smoking a cigar, and soon

reached a large retail clothing store. I remained in the street watching

the entrance of the store about an hour, when, as I expected, Bernardi

came out in a neat business suit complete, but wearing the same old

boots and hat. These articles were soon replaced by new ones, and after

a bath and shave, Senor Bernardi was a very different-looking person

from the rough customer who had visited Don Pedro in the morning. In

addition to his underclothing, linen, hat, boots, and suit of clothes,

he purchased at a pawnbroker's shop some very decent jewelry and he now

appeared like a gentlemanly gambler, or a member of the Board of Trade.

He did not conclude his business arrangements until he had engaged a

boarding-place and bought a trunk, which was sent to his lodgings. He

then appeared to have relieved his mind of all care, and he spent the

afternoon playing pool and billiards in a fashionable saloon. After

dining at a restaurant, he went to a minstrel entertainment, after

which he returned to his lodgings to retire for the night. When I went

to bed at eleven o'clock, after having followed Bernardi most of the

day, I realized that the duties of a faithful "shadow" were sometimes

excessively wearying.

The next morning, however, I found that a Mr. Newton had arrived from

Chicago in response to my telegram, and I was thus relieved from any

further anxiety. He was a cool, shrewd fellow, of attractive appearance

and pleasing manners, so that he was peculiarly fitted to obtain the

confidence of a man like Bernardi, and it was on that account that I had

selected him for the work. He had no difficulty in tracking Bernardi to

Don Pedro's residence, and having seen him admitted there, Newton

hurried back to report to me. I then instructed him to follow Bernardi

until he should have an opportunity to make his acquaintance; this could

be done without difficulty in a drinking or billiard saloon, and he was

then to cultivate an intimacy with him.

On asking to see Senor Morito, Bernardi was at once admitted, and as

soon as the Don closed his door, Salter slipped into the closet to

listen.

"Ah! you are looking much better this morning," said the Don, as he

scratched a match and handed it to Bernardi to light his cigar.

"Yes, I am feeling much better too. This seems quite like old times,

doesn't it? As I sit here and puff your fragrant Havanas, I could almost

imagine you were again in the real estate business in Peru. Ha! ha! that

was a speculation that paid well, eh?"

"Pietro, you must be careful not to drop a hint of those times to any

one, or I should be ruined," replied the Don; "I am in good society

here, and I hope to make a little money out of a scheme I have on hand;

but it is still quite uncertain whether I shall succeed, and my expenses

in engineering the affair are fast eating up all my capital. Now, I

shall be happy to assist you as far as I can, but it will be on

condition that you leave town; for if you should get tipsy and begin to

talk about me, I should lose everything. Next month, I may realize my

hopes, but I am playing a risky game, and I cannot afford to jeopardize

it. What do you want? Tell me how I can serve you, and how much money

you need, and if I can help you, I will gladly do so."

"That is fair enough, Don Juan--Pedro, I mean--I only want a start, and

I shall get along without any difficulty; but to tell the truth, I don't

know where to go. I could not return to Peru--neither could you, for

that matter--and I know of only one place where I could succeed and be

satisfied to stay. I have been thinking of going to Buenos Ayres, if I

could have a fair sum to start me in good style on arriving there; but

it is a long journey, and I am in no haste to start. By the way, where

is your present senorita? or are you really married as you said? Is she

as handsome as the other was?"

"Yes, she is very handsome," replied the Don, curtly; "but she knows

nothing about my history previous to our meeting, and I do not wish

that she should; so let us leave her out of our discussion. I have some

money left, though it is decreasing rapidly, and I will assist you as

far as possible, if you will leave Gloster at once; for I am afraid that

you will begin drinking to excess again, and you know that when you are

half drunk there is nothing in the world you will not tell. How much do

you want?"

"Oh! Don Pedro, you need not fear that I shall betray you; but I can't

start off on a long journey so soon after the fatigue and hardship I

have undergone during the last month. Just let me have three or four

hundred dollars to enable me to live in good style for a week or two,

and to get some better jewelry than this cheap stuff, and I will be

ready to start for Buenos Ayres as soon as you wish."

"Well, I will give you three hundred dollars now, and as soon as you

have spent that, you must be ready to leave Gloster on your way out of

the United States."

So saying, the Don stepped to his dressing-case, opened and then closed

a drawer, and said:

"There are three rouleaux of gold pieces, each containing one hundred

dollars. When that is gone, I will buy your ticket to Buenos Ayres or

Montevideo, as you prefer, and will give you as much money as I can

possibly spare; you must be prepared to go then."

"All right, my dear Pedro," replied Bernardi, rising to go; "I shall be

ready at that time. You can trust my discretion, however, as long as I

stay here, and no one shall ever hear a word from me to your discredit.

I may call to see you occasionally?"

"Oh! certainly; come in the forenoon. By the way, Pietro, let me caution

you against gambling while you are here, for I have found that we are no

match for these Northern gamblers. They will take every dollar from you

if you venture to stake against them. You will surely lose, and then you

will want me to supply you again; but I tell you frankly I will not do

it. I have hardly money enough to carry through my scheme, and if you

choose to betray me, you can do so, but it won't do you any good

whatever; whereas, if you are faithful to me, I can spare you a

reasonable sum to start you afresh in Buenos Ayres."

"Never fear, Don Pedro, I shall be mute as an oyster," and so saying,

Bernardi took his leave.

The foregoing conversation had taken place in the Don's dressing-room,

so that Salter had no difficulty in hearing every word, even when the

speakers dropped their voices to mere whispers; but there was another

listener in the Don's bed-chamber who was equally successful in

overhearing all that had been said. The Donna, having heard of the

arrival of this mysterious Pietro Bernardi the day before, was anxious

to know who he was and what he came for. Accordingly, she placed herself

at the keyhole of their chamber door leading into the Don's

dressing-room, and when Pietro had gone, she entered the Don's

presence.

"Who was that person, Don Pedro?" she asked, with a sharp tone to her

voice, foreboding no good to her already nervous and irritated spouse.

"Oh! his name is Pietro Bernardi, and I formerly knew him in Peru. He

was quite a fine young fellow then, but he has taken to gambling,

drinking, and general dissipation, so that it is very unpleasant to have

him turn up here as an acquaintance."

"Is that the only reason why you dislike to see him, Senor Morito?"

asked the Donna, her manner becoming more clearly inquisitive and

hostile. "You are too anxious to get rid of him for that to be the sole

cause of your annoyance at his presence."

"Well, my dear Lucia, the fact is, that he knows enough about me in the

past to be a very dangerous person to have around just now, for he might

expose me to the people here, and ruin our schemes upon the Diamond

Company."

"Why did you not tell me about this? There must be no secrets which I do

not share, for I do not intend to be deserted by you as you have

deserted others before. No, no, Don Pedro," she continued, passionately,

"I heard every word of your conversation with this man, and you must

understand that you cannot treat me like a doll, to be thrown away when

you are tired of me. I am able and anxious to help you in all your

plans, but I must have your full confidence. You know that I love you,

and you say that you return my love, but sometimes I distrust you. You

deserted a senorita in Lima, and some day you may try to desert me; but

I warn you that I would follow you to the ends of the earth, and I could

easily find it in my heart to kill you if you played me false."

As the Donna uttered these words, her determined tones clearly showed

that she would have no hesitation in executing her threat. The Don had

no reply to offer, and finally the Donna closed the conversation by

saying:

"This is our first approach to a quarrel, and I hope it will be the

last. You know that I am fearfully excited by any suggestion of the

possibility of losing you, and this man's words and sneers have made me

almost beside myself. But recollect, I am not without friends, for there

are plenty of rich men here who would be delighted to obey my lightest

whims if I would permit them, and if you should ever desert me, I would

tell all I know of you, and invoke their aid to bring you to punishment.

Now let us go along together, without any secrets apart from each other

in the future, and we shall have no occasion to quarrel again."

The Donna then left the room, and went out to drive with Madame Sevier,

leaving the Don alone. Salter quickly slipped downstairs, but was

summoned back by the ringing of the Don's bell. On entering the

dressing-room, Salter found his employer seated in a large easy-chair,

looking quite pale and agitated.

"I wish you would bring me a decanter of brandy and a glass, George,"

said the Don; "I don't feel very well, and I think a sip of cognac will

do me good."

Salter obeyed orders, and then went to Lesparre's room to report the

conversations which he had overheard while concealed in the closet.

Lesparre soon went into the Don's room to talk over the plans for the

_fete_, but Don Pedro was in low spirits, and did not care to converse.

He ordered his horse to be brought to the door, and was soon galloping

down the avenue as a relief to his depressed nerves. Lesparre

immediately came to my office, reported what Salter had told him, and

then went about his duty of preparing the island to receive the guests

on the day of the _fete_.

CHAPTER VII.

_Pietro Bernardi and the Detective become Warm Friends.--A

"Tete-a-Tete" worth One Thousand Dollars._

When Pietro Bernardi left the Morito residence, he sauntered downtown in

a leisurely manner, with Newton carefully following at a safe distance.

Bernardi was evidently vain of his personal appearance, for he was

dissatisfied with his ready-made outfit, and, entering a fashionable

tailoring establishment, he was measured for a complete suit of clothes.

The rest of the forenoon was spent in buying shirts, underclothing,

trinkets, and toilet articles of quite an expensive character. After a

hasty lunch at a restaurant, Bernardi walked to the post-office, where

he met a man whose appearance indicated unmistakably the professional

gambler. They seemed to be old acquaintances, and, after taking a drink

together, they conversed for some time in low tones. Finally they

separated, and Bernardi went to his lodgings. About six o'clock he

reappeared, and Newton followed him to the post-office again, where the

gambler, who was waiting in the morning, was met apparently by

appointment. The two men walked a short distance together, and then

disappeared up a stairway, which, Newton was certain, led to gambling

rooms. He waited outside nearly an hour undecided what to do, but at

length he went upstairs among a crowd of young sports, who seemed to

know the ways of the place, and he was allowed to pass in with them

unquestioned. He found Bernardi just rising from the dinner-table, which

the proprietors of the gambling house were in the habit of setting for

their regular patrons. The faro-table was in full blast, and Bernardi

was soon seated at it with the air of an old _habitue_. He was

thenceforward so deeply interested in the game as to pay no attention to

anything else, and, as he was unusually lucky, his pile of gold pieces

rapidly increased. Newton took a position at his elbow and watched the

game in silence for some minutes. At length, seeing Bernardi win a large

stake, he said in a familiar tone:

"You are unusually lucky to-night, and I see you play for all the game

is worth."

Keeping his eyes intently fastened upon the dealer's box, Bernardi

replied carelessly:

"Yes, this is a game where a man must put down his money freely if he

wants to win."

The next turn of the cards was doubly lucky for Bernardi, and, as he

raked in his winnings, he glanced up at Newton, scanned his face a

moment, and said:

"I think I have met you in New Orleans, have I not?"

"Very likely, for I have often been there; but I do not recall your

name, though your face is quite familiar to me."

"Why, certainly," continued Bernardi, apparently quite pleased at the

idea of meeting an old New Orleans acquaintance; "my name is Pietro

Bernardi, and I have often seen you in the rooms of French Joe on

Magazine street."

"Oh! yes, I used to go there a good deal, and we must have met

frequently. Let us take something for old acquaintance' sake."

This was taking a short cut to Bernardi's friendship, and as the two

stood before the sideboard clicking glasses together, a stranger would

have supposed them to be old cronies, as indeed Bernardi actually

believed to be the case. Newton instantly saw that Bernardi's frequent

drinks during the day and his later potations in the evening had

rendered him somewhat intoxicated; he was not drunk, for he had a

perfect comprehension of his actions, but he had drunk enough to be very

happy, and he probably saw in Newton's face a hazy resemblance to some

one he had known in New Orleans. He soon returned to the faro-table,

and, taking his seat, asked Newton whether he intended to do any

betting.

"No, not to-night," Newton replied, yawning. "I am very tired and

restless, and I make it a rule never to bet when my nerves are shaky."

"Well, that is a mighty good rule," said Bernardi, as he put out a pile

of gold pieces. "If you will only stick to that plan, you will be sure

to win. I can always feel when luck is with me, and if I could only make

up my mind to stop when I know that I cannot win, I should be as

successful as could be wished; but sometimes I get obstinate when the

cards begin to run against me, and then I buck against fate until I lose

all."

Having an absorbing interest in the game, Bernardi talked very little

after this, but about eleven o'clock he counted his winnings, and,

finding that they amounted to more than two hundred dollars, he decided

to withdraw. In company with Newton, therefore, he left the room, and

entered a bar-room below. They drank and chatted together a short time,

and then separated, Bernardi going to a well-known house of ill-repute,

while Newton carefully dogged his footsteps unseen. Knowing that

Bernardi intended to spend the night where he was, Newton returned to

his own lodgings. They had agreed to meet at the post-office about

eleven o'clock next day, and Newton knew that his services would not be

required before that hour.

About eleven o'clock in the forenoon, Newton and Bernardi met at the

post-office, as agreed, and, after a morning dram together, they went to

a restaurant for breakfast.

"How did you enjoy yourself yesterday evening?" asked Newton, as they

were finishing their meal.

"Oh! very well indeed. I met a young lady whom I used to know in New

Orleans, and she was very lovely; but I shall never meet one like my

senorita. She was the most beautiful woman living;" and, as he spoke,

Bernardi sighed deeply, and became moody, silent, and abstracted.

"Yes; I recollect having seen her with you once in New Orleans," replied

Newton, on a venture; "is she dead?"

"No, ---- ---- her! I wish she was," replied Bernardi, savagely. "She

started to come North with me, and I gave her everything she could ask;

but when I had won a large sum of money at Natchez, she stole several

thousand dollars from me, and disappeared with a Mississippi gambler,

whom she had never seen but twice. I didn't care for the money, but I

loved her passionately, and I cannot think of her without becoming

enraged. Come, let us go get some brandy; I always have to drink when I

think of her."

While they were drinking together, Newton asked Bernardi if he was

always fortunate in gaming.

"Oh! no, indeed; why, less than a week ago I had not a cent to buy my

breakfast, and I did not know whether to enlist in the army or commit

suicide."

"Then your present success is marvelous, for you must have won, in all,

four or five hundred dollars," said Newton, inquiringly.

"No, I did not win it all; in fact, I could not have done so, for I did

not have a dime to start with; but I met an old friend here who gave me

a few hundreds, and who will give me more when I want it."

"That's the kind of a friend to have," said Newton, warmly; "come, let

us drink again to his health. I wish I had met you before, for I would

have been glad to divide with you. We ought always to stand by each

other, especially we Southerners, among these Yankee gamblers."

"Yes, that is true," replied Bernardi, taking an immense drink of

brandy; "they are not so generous to each other as we are down South.

Now, my friend, whom I spoke of, is one of the right sort. He gave me

enough for a new outfit, and has promised to give me a good sum when I

am ready to go South again."

"Is he a Southerner too?" asked Newton.

"Oh! yes," Bernardi replied, "he is from Peru, where I first met him,

and we have had many a gay time together. I used to keep a fine suite of

gambling rooms, which he frequented, and he used to play with the utmost

indifference to the results; he always seemed equally unmoved whether he

won or lost."

"I suppose you must have been very warm friends," said Newton, "or he

would not now be so ready to assist you?"

"Well, Don Juan is a very liberal fellow, I admit," answered Bernardi;

"but he might not be so generous were it not to his interest to be so,"

he continued, with a knowing wink.

"Oh! ho! I see," replied Newton, nodding his head expressively. "Your

friend would not care to have you talk about his past history, I

suppose?"

"Exactly; he knows that I could tell some things about him which might

spoil his pleasure here, and so he is anxious to keep on good terms with

me. However, he needn't fear me as long as he treats me decently, for I

do not wish to injure him, and when I am ready to go I shall get a good

sum from him to start me in business elsewhere."

"Suppose he should refuse to give you anything more, or have you

arrested for blackmailing him," suggested Newton.

"I'd like to see him try it," Bernardi exclaimed, with a volley of

oaths. "I guess two could play at the game of swearing out warrants, and

when the account was balanced, his imprisonment would be twenty times

as long as mine. No, no; I have no fear that he will attempt such a

thing."

"I merely spoke of it as a possibility," said Newton, "in order that you

should be on your guard. A man with wealth and position might succeed in

crushing a friendless poor man in spite of the latter's protestations.

However, if any such thing should happen, you can depend upon it that I

will work for you until you are released."

"That's right, my friend," replied Bernardi, as he called for another

drink of brandy. "If I should suddenly disappear without warning to you,

don't fail to search for me everywhere, and I will see that you are

handsomely rewarded. If Don Juan should attempt any treachery, I should

have him at my mercy as soon as I should get free, and, together, we

could squeeze a large sum out of him."

Newton spent the day with Bernardi, and they became quite inseparable.

After driving about the city for an hour or two, they attended a matinee

performance at one of the theatres, and then had a long and sumptuous

dinner at a fashionable restaurant. In the evening they went to the

gambling-rooms where they had met the night before, and Bernardi was

soon absorbed in the game of faro. His luck still clung to him, and, on

leaving the place at midnight, he had won three hundred dollars more. As

before, Bernardi went to enjoy the society of his New Orleans charmer,

and Newton went to his own lodgings.

After Newton had made his report to me, early the next morning, I told

him to continue his intimacy with Bernardi, and to pump him as

thoroughly as possible relative to Don Pedro's past history. Soon after

his departure to meet Bernardi, Senator Muirhead and Judge Key entered,

and we discussed the possibility of doing anything with this new

witness, Pietro Bernardi.

"Would it not be possible to frighten him into telling all he knows of

Don Pedro?" asked the Senator.

"I hardly think we could," I replied. "In the first place, you have no

charge whatever against Bernardi, nor any reason to suppose that he has

ever been a criminal anywhere; hence, how could we frighten him?

Moreover, he is a man of considerable nerve, and he would see that, as

against third parties, his interests would be best served by supporting,

instead of attacking, Don Pedro. No, I don't see anything to be gained

as yet by showing our hands. Our object is to recover possession of the

money paid to the Don for those bogus diamond fields, and to do that, we

must wait until we have a sure case against him for his crimes committed

elsewhere."

"I agree with you wholly," added Judge Key. "Besides, this fellow,

Bernardi, knows nothing of the Don's forgeries and frauds except those

committed in Peru, and as we have before shown, we could make no use of

those accusations until we hear from Peru. Indeed, it is questionable

how far we can proceed even then, for we have no extradition treaty with

that country."

"Well, I do not mind that very much," I replied, "for my chief

dependence is upon the moral effect upon Don Pedro. I think that we can

so work upon him as to obtain his consent to go to Peru voluntarily,

rather than to be detained here until a requisition arrives from

England. He knows that if he be sent to England, he will be transported

for a long term of years; whereas, in Peru, he may avoid conviction

altogether, or purchase his escape after conviction."

"But can we make him give up his plunder?" asked the Senator, anxiously.

"I think we can," said I. "You see that he is liable to be held here for

obtaining money under false pretenses, and during the trial the money

could be taken by attachment. Then, even though he should not be

convicted, the delay would enable us to make sure of sending him back to

London, where a heavy sentence would undoubtedly be given him. Now, by

representing these things to him, we shall induce him to hand over the

money voluntarily, and after that we shall not care whether he is taken

to Great Britain or Peru."

"If that be the case, why not arrest him now and get the advices from

London afterward?" asked the Senator, who was very anxious to hasten

matters.

"Because we could not present a sufficient case to hold him under the

preliminary examination," replied Judge Key. "When we get official news

of the fellow's character from Peru, we shall have a sure thing against

him, and then I shall feel ready to act; but I agree with Mr. Pinkerton

that there would be danger in overhaste. You see, we have him carefully

watched, and there is no probability that he intends to make off until

after this _fete champetre_; therefore, let us wait for our foreign

advices as long as we can, and in case he prepares to go before they

arrive, it will be time enough to arrest him then."

"How about the Donna?" asked Muirhead. "Do you propose to take any steps

against her?"

"I don't see how we can," I replied. "With the exception of the sums she

has received from Mather, she has obtained nothing fraudulently; and, as

you may well suppose, we could never get Mather to testify against her;

so I guess we need not trouble ourselves to interfere with the lovely

Donna at all."

Our conference then broke up with the understanding that we should

assemble again the moment any new facts in the case should be developed.

Just after the gentlemen had left, Madame Sevier came in and reported a

scene between Mather and the Donna which had taken place the previous

evening.

The Don had remained at home entertaining various guests until nine

o'clock. He had then gone out with Lesparre and several other gentlemen,

to attend a banquet and ball given by a semi-political club at one of

the hotels. The affair was attended by many highly respectable ladies,

particularly by those whose husbands had any political aspirations, but

it was not sufficiently exclusive to satisfy the Donna, and she remained

at home. The visitors gradually dropped out until only Mr. Mather

remained, and then Madame Sevier excused herself, on the plea of

fatigue, in order to retire. Instead of going to her room, however, she

hastened to the library and hid herself behind a statue standing in a

deep bay window, which was heavily shrouded with drapery and curtains.

Thus placed, she was completely hidden from the sight of any one in the

library, though she had a perfect view herself, and she could hear every

word spoken in the room.

As she expected, the Donna soon entered, followed by Mr. Mather. The

latter seemed to consider that the Donna could refuse him nothing, for

he put his arms around her, and was about to kiss her, when he found her

fan quickly interposed between their faces.

"You are too free with your caresses, Senor Mather," she said, coldly,

slipping out of his embrace, and pointing out a chair to him at some

distance from the sofa, upon which she seated herself.

Poor Mather was quite astonished, for, having kissed her several times

before, he supposed that he could continue doing so whenever he wished;

but the Donna was an expert fisher of men, and she recognized the force

of that old proverb, "Familiarity breeds contempt;" besides, she wanted

some more money, and she knew that her elderly lover would gladly

purchase her kisses at a round price. The folly of giving them away

gratis could not be indulged in, therefore, and she kept her sighing

swain at a distance for a little time. She was too politic to give even

the slightest hint of her object in the conversation which ensued, but

she used every possible allurement to fascinate her victim, while she

would allow him no liberties nor caresses. Mather could not fail to

recollect the affectionate manner in which she had received his previous

gifts, and he therefore decided to try the same policy again.

"I saw a beautiful camel's hair shawl to-day," he said, "and I was going

to get it for you, my dear Lucia, but I did not know whether it would

suit you, and so I determined to let you select your own gift. The shawl

was worth one thousand dollars, and I made up my mind to give you the

amount that I should have paid for it, and you could then exercise your

own taste."

"Oh! my dear Henry," she exclaimed, "how thoughtful you are! How can I

sufficiently thank you?" and she made room for him on the sofa, as he

advanced holding out a roll of bills.

"You know how you can please me best," he answered, tenderly, bending

over her.

"Oh! really, Henry, you mustn't," she protested, feebly, as he showered

kisses on her cheeks and lips; "suppose any one should come in!"

As she spoke, a carriage stopped in front of the house, and their

affectionate _tete-a-tete_ was interrupted by the unexpected return of

Lesparre, who, having left his watch at home, had returned to get it. He

did not enter the parlor nor the library, but the Donna seemed very much

agitated at the mere possibility of being detected in a compromising

situation, and so Mather took his departure. The coolness with which she

counted the money, after he had gone, was in striking contrast with her

simulated embarrassment while he was present, and it was plain that,

having obtained the gift, she was quite glad to get rid of the giver.

She went immediately to her room, and Madame Sevier then retired also.

CHAPTER VIII.

_Don Pedro anxious for Pietro Bernardi's Absence.--"Coppering the

Jack and Playing the Ace and Queen open."--A Gambler that

could not be Bought.--Splendid Winnings.--Diamond cutting

Diamond.--Bernardi quieted, and he subsequently departs richer

by five thousand dollars._

At eleven o'clock, Newton and Bernardi again met at the post-office, and

the latter remarked that he intended making a short call upon his

wealthy friend.

"Come along with me," he said, "and you will see what a fine place he

has. I shall not remain very long, and if you will wait for me outside,

we can pass the day together. I hate to go around alone in a strange

city."

Accordingly they strolled along until they reached Don Pedro's house,

and Newton agreed to remain near at hand until Bernardi should finish

his call. Salter was on the lookout, and when Bernardi was admitted, he

led the way to Don Pedro's room. The moment the door closed on Bernardi,

Salter took his place at the auger-holes in the adjoining closet, and

overheard the entire conversation, as before.

"Well, Pietro, have you decided how soon you will be ready to leave

town?" asked the Don. "From your clothes, jewelry, and other purchases

you have made, you must have used up most of the money I gave you, and,

if so, your departure must take place soon; for I warn you again, I

shall give you nothing more until you depart for some distant city!"

"Well, to tell the truth," replied Bernardi, in an independent,

indifferent manner, "I am in no hurry to go away just yet. You see, I

have been very lucky since I've been here, and if I keep on, I guess I

can repay you the amount you kindly loaned me."

"Do you mean that you have been gambling again?" asked the Don, in a

vexed tone.

"Yes, and I have won constantly, so that I don't like to change my luck

by making a move right away. You know gamblers are superstitious, and I

have a strong feeling that it will be for my interest to remain here for

some time yet."

"But you promised to go as soon as you felt able to travel," said the

Don.

"Well, there is no hurry. I haven't done you any harm yet, and I don't

mean to. Why are you so anxious to get rid of me?"

Of course, Don Pedro's principal fear was that Bernardi would learn how

large a sum the former had received for his bogus mines, and that he

would not be satisfied to go unless he got a large slice of the plunder.

It would not do, however, to excite his suspicions by appearing too

desirous of sending him away, so the Don changed his tone, and said:

"Oh! I'm sure I don't want to get rid of you as long as you keep sober

and don't talk about me; but you know how it is, Pietro; if you should

get drunk and talk about me, you would tell everything you know, and the

result would be that I should have to flee the town without

accomplishing my object. In that case, I should lose not only all that I

hoped to make, but also all the immense outlay I have made in preparing

my scheme. If you want to go to New Orleans again, I will start you in a

faro-bank there, and will come down there next winter to play with you;

but I confess I should feel easier if you were out of Gloster for the

present."

"Well, I will be ready to go in a few days, if you insist upon it, but I

don't see the necessity of such haste. However, I will come in again

and talk about it before the end of the week. I want to win a little

more before I go."

"How have you been betting?" asked Morito, in a conciliatory manner.

"I have been 'coppering' the jack and playing the ace and queen

'open,'[A] and I have won constantly. I left them a few times and played

other cards, but I always lost when I did so. Now I am going to stick to

that scheme right along."

[A] These are technical terms in playing faro. The player meant

that he was in the habit of making one bet that the jack would be a

losing card all the time, and another that the ace and queen would be

winning cards.

"Where are you playing?" asked the Don, carelessly.

"I generally go to Dave Carter's, in Mahogany Block, for I think he

deals a 'square' game."

"Yes, I suppose so," said Morito; "as much so as any of them; but they

are all sharpers here, and they may have been letting you win on

purpose, thinking that you had a large sum in reserve which they hope to

catch hereafter. If you will take my advice, you will stop while you are

ahead. You know, from your own experience as a banker, that the 'bank'

always wins in the end."

"Well, I shall try a few more games, and then I shall be ready to talk

with you about going South. I want to run my luck while it is good," and

so saying, Bernardi rose to go.

"All right, Pietro," said Don Pedro, "be careful not to get swindled,

and to keep silent about me."

The moment Bernardi was gone, the Don rang his bell violently, and sent

for Monsieur Lesparre. When the latter entered the Don's room, he found

his employer in a more disturbed and excited condition than he had ever

before indulged in, and evidently he meant mischief to some one.

"Lesparre, that fellow Bernardi, of whom I spoke to you the other day,

has been here again," burst out the Don. "I gave him a considerable sum

of money to set him on his feet again, for old acquaintance' sake,

expecting that he would return to his friends in the South, or, at

least, behave like a decent gentleman; but he has returned to his old

habits of gambling and drinking, so that, at any moment, he may come

here and mortify me before a party of my guests, or, worse still, claim

me as his friend when arraigned in a police court for drunkenness,

_etcetera_. He promised to leave town as soon as the money I gave him

was gone, and I was to give him then a respectable sum to start him in

business elsewhere; but he has won considerably at the faro-table, and

he is now independent of me, and therefore declines to keep his promise

until he is ready."

"Would he go, do you think, if he should lose all he has?" asked

Lesparre.

"Oh! yes, indeed; he would be forced to yield to my terms then, and I

should give him nothing until he started."

"How would it do to suggest to the proprietor of the gambling rooms that

it would be doubly for his interest to fleece this man? I think it could

easily be done, if the 'bank' were so disposed."

"I have no doubt of it, especially as I know the way he intends to bet

all the time," replied the Don, eagerly; "he 'coppers' the jack and

plays the ace and queen 'open.' It must be a pretty poor dealer who

cannot 'stack' those cards, with such a stake in view. Suppose you drop

a hint to Dave Carter, or to the dealer to-night, before Bernardi goes

there."

"I will go down at once," replied Lesparre, "and I will promise him

three hundred dollars additional if he wins all that Bernardi has; that

is not too much, is it?"

"No, indeed!" exclaimed the Don; "I would gladly give five hundred, if

necessary."

Lesparre arrived at the gambling rooms about noon, and at that early

hour no one was present except the proprietor and one of the dealers.

Lesparre obtained an interview with the proprietor alone, and then asked

him if he would like to make a thousand dollars.

"Oh! yes," he replied, in an indifferent way, "I should have no

objection, although it would not be such a novelty that I need take a

great deal of trouble about it. The 'bank' often wins more than that in

a single evening."

"Well, there is a South American who has been playing here recently,

against whom I have a bitter grudge. He has about six hundred dollars

now, most of which he has won here. He has one regular system of

playing--'coppering' the jack and playing the ace and queen to win--and

you can easily fix those cards so as to clean him out in one evening.

The moment you have done that, I will give you five hundred dollars

more."

The gambler fixed a keen look upon Lesparre for a moment, and then

replied that he was no gudgeon to bite such a stale bait as that. He

added that they played a "square" game, and if a man won, he was welcome

to his winnings; but that no trickery would be resorted to against any

patron of the house. Lesparre was obliged to withdraw, feeling that he

had made a mistake in proposing the plan so openly.

That evening, after a day spent in playing billiards and driving about,

Bernardi and Newton again entered the gambling saloon. Bernardi did not

make any bets for some time, but stood watching the game in silence,

apparently guessing as to the winning and losing cards to determine

whether he was in luck. Finally he bet fifty dollars on the ace and

lost; this was followed by one hundred dollars on the same card, which

again lost. He waited a few deals and then placed two hundred dollars on

the queen to win, and one hundred dollars on the jack to lose. The cards

fell as he had hoped, and gathering in his stakes and winnings, he

began betting in earnest. His luck was wonderful, and as all his bets

were for fifty dollars or more, he soon had quite a large sum. Presently

he stopped betting, and went to the bar with Newton. They talked and

drank together for some minutes, but Bernardi was not ready to leave

just then. His winnings were already quite sufficient to cause the

proprietor to regard him with a considerable degree of interest, and

when he returned to the faro-table, a seat was given him at once. He

made no bets for some minutes, but at length he asked:

[Illustration: _This was taking a short cut to Bernardi's friendship._]

"What is your limit to-night?"

"Five hundred dollars," was the reply.

Bernardi then placed four hundred dollars on the nine spot, and, a

moment later, he was again a winner. He now seemed satisfied, for he

presented his "chips" for payment, and received cash therefor. The

proprietor then invited Bernardi and Newton to drink with him, and,

while standing at the sideboard, the proprietor asked Bernardi whether

he had many acquaintances in the city.

"No," replied Bernardi, "I have very few; why do you ask?"

"Because one of them is your enemy, or else he was trying to play a

trick on the 'bank' this morning," continued the proprietor, watching

Bernardi narrowly. "He came in about noon, and wanted the cards put up

so that you should be cleaned out of all your money."

"The devil you say!" ejaculated Bernardi; "why did he want to clean me

out?"

"That I can't say; but he told me that he had a bitter grudge against

you, and that he would give a great deal to injure you."

"I do not know any one here who could say that of me," replied Bernardi,

thoughtfully. "There is only one man in the city who knows me

intimately, and I do not see why he should wish me to lose, even if he

did hate me. Was he a South American, like myself?"

"No; he might have been a foreigner, but he was not dark-complexioned."

"Well, I cannot imagine who it could have been," mused Bernardi; "and I

guess I need not be afraid of him, if he goes to work in that roundabout

way. However, I am obliged to you for the information, and I will take

care that he does not drop on me unexpectedly. So-long."

As Bernardi walked down the street with Newton, he was evidently deeply

abstracted, for he muttered to himself in Spanish, and swore at

intervals in quite an excited manner. Finally, he said aloud:

"I don't know what to think about this story. It may be that this

gambler made it up to shake my nerves, or to cover some plot against me;

but I have a sort of feeling that Don Juan is at the bottom of it. I

don't fear him one bit, but I want to solve the mystery, and if he has

been plotting against me, I will have my revenge upon him. But, no; I

can't see what he could gain by it, and I think, perhaps, this gang

despair of breaking my luck, and are planning to rob me by force."

"That seems reasonable," replied Newton, "for then you would attribute

the act to this unknown enemy, and they would escape suspicion. Still,"

he continued, anxious to lead the conversation back to Don Pedro as a

subject, "your first supposition may be the correct one, and your

pretended friend may be scheming to ruin you."

"But why should he want me to lose money?" persisted Bernardi. "He knows

that I should come to him for more, and that he would be obliged to give

it to me."

"Perhaps he would like to get rid of your presence," cautiously

suggested Newton; "and if you were penniless, he could insist upon your

departure as a condition upon which alone he would give you money."

"Caramba! I believe you are right, my friend," Bernardi exclaimed,

furiously; "and if I find that it is so, I will make Don Juan, or Don

Pedro, as he calls himself now, regret the day he played me false."

"Don't be over-hasty," counseled Newton, "for the whole story may be a

gambler's lie after all."

"Oh! I will investigate it carefully," answered Bernardi, "and, when I

am satisfied about the truth of the matter, I will consult with you as

to the best course to pursue. It is a good thing to have a friend to

advise with, especially among such a gang of thieves as seem to hang

'round these rooms. Meet me to-morrow, as usual, and I will go see my

friend again."

The men then separated, and went to their respective lodgings for the

night.

In the morning they met, took breakfast together, and afterwards

sauntered down to visit Don Pedro. As before, Bernardi was conducted

straight to the Don's room, and Salter again stationed himself in the

closet to listen.

"So you are still successful?" was the first remark he heard.

"Yes, moderately so," replied Bernardi; "but it is strange how cards run

sometimes."

"Well, you ought not to be astonished at anything after your long

experience in gambling."

"Oh! I'm never astonished," said Bernardi, who had drunk a good deal of

brandy before and after breakfast; "but I was thinking how lucky it was

that I changed my mind last night about playing those three cards--the

jack, ace, and queen."

"How so?" asked Morito.

"Well, if I had played the jack 'coppered,' and the ace and queen

'open,' last night, all the evening, I should have been entirely cleaned

out; what do you think of that?"

"I think you were very lucky in having played elsewhere," replied the

Don; "but what's the matter with you? What makes you look at me so

strangely?"

"I want to find out whether it was you who sent a man to tell Dave

Carter, the gambler, how I was playing, and to ask him to fix the cards

so that I should lose all I had."

Bernardi's voice was husky with liquor and anger, and he had evidently

worked himself up into a great rage; but, in spite of his partial

intoxication, he was very determined, and his tones foreboded no

good-will to the Don. In a contest of words, however, he was no match

for his opponent, and Don Pedro instantly took the most effectual method

for quieting his visitor's suspicions.

"My dear Pietro," he began, contemptuously, "I gave you credit for more

common-sense than you seem disposed to claim for yourself. Why should I

want you to lose? On the contrary, I would like to see you win enough to

start in business for yourself, and repay me what I have loaned you, for

I assure you that I much prefer to have you spend your money than mine.

I have none too much for my own wants, and if you could repay me, I

should be delighted. What is the reason for your question?"

Bernardi did not reply for two or three minutes; he was evidently keenly

scrutinizing Don Pedro's face; but at length he said:

"Well, it's all right now, and I suppose I was wrong to suspect you; but

the proprietor of the place where I gamble told me that some one had

been trying to get him to play a trick on me, and I determined to find

out who it was."

"Well, Pietro, I don't think you would have thought of suspecting me if

your head had not been fuddled with liquor. Why can't you stop drinking

for a month or two?"

"What do you care about my drinking?" asked Bernardi, in a half-cowed

manner.

"Because Pietro drunk is a very different fellow from Pietro sober; and

some day you will let out some damaging reports about me, and then all

hope of making anything here will be destroyed. If I could feel sure

that you would remain sober, I would gladly start you in a good 'bank'

here."

Of course, Don Pedro had no intention of doing anything of the kind, but

he saw that Bernardi was in a dangerous mood, and that he must handle

him very skillfully if he wished to get him to leave the city. The Don

knew that to urge him to leave would be the surest way to make him stay,

but that, if left to follow his own inclinations, he would be anxious to

go South, where the climate and people were more congenial to him.

Hence, Don Pedro boldly took the ground that he was quite willing for

Bernardi to stay if he would only keep sober, and Bernardi quickly fell

into the trap.

"I don't want to start a 'bank' in this place," he said, "and I can't

get along in this climate without drinking. I have been moderately

successful here, and I am in no hurry to leave, but I should like to go

back to New Orleans, if I could fit up a good place there, and deal a

first-class game."

"How much would you need for that purpose?" asked the Don. "If I can

let you have it, I will do so, and you can stay here or go back to New

Orleans, as you may prefer; only I shall make one condition: that you

promise faithfully to drink nothing but wine while you are in this city,

until I get ready to leave. Will three thousand dollars be enough?"

"Hardly; I have won some money here, to be sure, but it will cost a good

deal to spread a handsome layout in New Orleans--as for this place,

there are not enough gentlemen gamesters here; the gamblers are all

trying to live on each other. If you will make it five thousand, I will

start for New Orleans day after to-morrow."

"That is more than I ought to pay out in my present circumstances," said

the Don, thoughtfully; "but I guess I can run the establishment on

credit for about a month, and that will help me out; so if you will go

to-morrow, I will give you five thousand when you start."

"Done!" replied Bernardi, much gratified at having obtained so large a

sum. "I have nothing to do except to get a young lady friend to go with

me, and she won't need a great while to make her preparations. So you

can have the money ready to-morrow?"

"It shall be awaiting you any time that you call for it," answered

Morito, and Bernardi then took his departure.

On joining Newton, Bernardi was in high spirits, and he talked very

freely of his intended plans.

"My friend convinced me that he had nothing to do with the trick which

the gambler said some one tried to play upon me, and as a proof of his

regard, he is going to give me a start in New Orleans. I shall leave

here to-morrow, and if you would like to go in with me, we can make a

pile of money there."

"I can't very well leave here for some time yet," said Newton, "for I

have a large sum staked in bets on the races next month, and I shall

have no money until they take place. I have a sure thing on a new horse,

and I have got such large odds that I have put up every dollar I could

reach. I shall clear about ten thousand dollars sure, and then if you

are so disposed, I will join you in New Orleans."

"All right, we'll do it; but then, you may lose everything instead of

winning. I don't care to bet on races, myself; there are too many

chances to deal from the bottom."

"There is no danger in this case, so you must let me know where I can

find you, and within a month I will join you in the Crescent City."

Bernardi then went to see his fair and frail charmer, to obtain her

company on his Southern trip, and Newton came to my room to report. I

instructed him to stay with Bernardi as much as possible while the

latter remained in the city, and to be sure to obtain his address in New

Orleans. I then called upon Senator Muirhead and informed him of the

proposed departure of Bernardi. The Senator was very anxious to detain

him in some way, in order to get his testimony, in case we should fail

to hear from England or Peru in time; but I was unable to suggest any

plan for holding this man without exposing our whole connection with the

case. Bernardi was evidently ready to act in good faith with Don Pedro,

and any endeavor to retard his departure would be regarded by him as

coming from the gang of gamblers from whom he had won money. There was

no doubt but that he would keep up a correspondence with Newton, and we

should thus know where to find him in case his presence should be

needed. We decided, therefore, to let him go as he intended.

Early in the evening, Bernardi and Newton went as usual to the

gaming-rooms. There they met a stranger, who seemed to be a Spaniard or

Cuban. Bernardi addressed him in Spanish, and after some conversation,

they sat down to play. By some freak of luck, Bernardi continually won

his small bets, but whenever he put out a large amount, he lost. The

Cuban stranger had the same experience, and at length Bernardi rose in

disgust and left the rooms with Newton, having lost about two hundred

dollars.

"Those fellows have got some kind of a 'skin-game' at work," he said,

"and they tried to beat me and that Cuban out of all our cash. I gave

him a hint in Spanish before I came away, and I hope he will stop before

they fleece him. Now let us go to the theatre."

They attended one of the theatres, and then had a glorious supper at

Bernardi's expense after the performance was over. About midnight, they

parted with mutual good wishes, and Bernardi promised to write to Newton

as soon as he should reach New Orleans.

The next morning Bernardi called upon Don Pedro and received the

promised amount of five thousand dollars, assuring him that he should

leave the city that afternoon. As soon as he left the house, the Don

asked Lesparre to keep a watch upon Bernardi to make sure of his leaving

according to promise. When Lesparre returned about three o'clock, and

reported that Bernardi was then actually on his way to Cairo,

accompanied by a young lady, the Don was overjoyed, and he expressed

himself greatly relieved thereby.

"Now we can take more interest in our _fete champetre_, and we will make

it the most delightful affair ever known in this country," he said,

exultantly. "When it is over, my dear Lesparre, we will make a tour of

the fashionable watering-places, and enjoy life to the full."

CHAPTER IX.

_Important Information from the Peruvian Government.--Arrival in

Gloster of the Peruvian Minister and Consul.--In

Consultation.--"Robbing Peter to pay Paul."--Mr. Pinkerton's

card is presented.--Juan Sanchez, I arrest you, and you are my

Prisoner.--Mr. Pinkerton not "For Sale."--A Dramatic

Scene.--The Bubble burst._

Several days now sped by with no fresh developments, and Don Pedro was

almost constantly engaged in his preparations for the _fete champetre_.

As the day approached, society was stirred to its very center, and

nothing was spoken of save this grand event of the season.