But," he continued, assuming an easy argumentative attitude, "let us
look at it from your view-point. Let us imagine that YOUR ship had
anticipated mine, and that MY messenger had unwittingly gone on board of
HER. What do you think they would have done to him?"
"They would have hung him at the yard-arm, as he deserved," said
Hurlstone unflinchingly.
"You are wrong," said Perkins gently. "They would have given him the
alternative of betraying his trust, and confessing everything--which he
would probably have accepted. Pardon me!--this is no insinuation against
you," he interrupted,--"but I regret to say that my experience with the
effete Latin races of this continent has not inspired me with confidence
in their loyalty to trust. Let me give you an instance," he continued,
smiling: "the ship you are expecting is supposed to be an inviolable
secret of the Church, but it is known to me--to my friends ashore--and
even to you, my poor friend, a heretic! More than that, I am told that
the Comandante, the Padre, and Alcalde are actually arranging to deport
some of the American women by this vessel, which has been hitherto
sacred to the emissaries of the Church alone.
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