Pedro waited upon me in person. I could see that the man was
pathetically anxious to talk. Accordingly, when he presently brought me
a fresh supply of hot rolls:
"This has been a dreadful blow to you, Pedro?" I said.
"Dreadful, sir," he returned; "fearful. I lose a splendid master, I
lose my place, and I am far, far from home."
"You are from Cuba?"
"Yes, yes. I was with Senor the Colonel Don Juan in Cuba."
"And do you know anything of the previous attempts which had been made
upon his life, Pedro?"
"Nothing, sir. Nothing at all."
"But the bat wing, Pedro?"
He looked at me in a startled way.
"Yes, sir," he replied. "I found it pinned to the door here."
"And what did you think it meant?"
"I thought it was a joke, sir--not a nice joke--by someone who knew
Cuba."
"You know the meaning of Bat Wing, then?"
"It is Obeah. I have never seen it before, but I have heard of it."
"And what did you think?" said I, proceeding with my breakfast.
"I thought it was meant to frighten."
"But who did you think had done it?"
"I had heard Senor Don Juan say that Mr. Camber hated him, so I thought
perhaps he had sent someone to do it.
Pages:
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323