"No one has done more than he to advance our cause." "Has he ever been suspected of being a Spanish spy ?" asked Ridge.
"Certainly not, senor.

Such a question is almost an insult." "Yet the lieutenant has good cause for his inquiry," said del Concha himself, who joined them at that moment.

"Moreover, he is entitled to an explanation from me, which I will hasten to give before he shall demand it." "It will afford me great pleasure to hear it," said Ridge, "for some of your recent actions have been, to say the least, very puzzling." "As, for instance, when I denounced you to General Pando.

Certainly you must have thought badly of me at that time.

I did it, however, to save both you and myself, since shortly after you left us I learned that one of my troop had deserted for the purpose of betraying you to the Spanish General, who, he hoped and believed, would give him a liberal reward for so doing.