"In which case," continued Nestor, "you might take the suggested
ride down the Rio Grande."
"Not with the mountains in sight, and a lost mine to find," exclaimed Fremont.
"And a brutal assassin to bring to punishment," added Nestor.
"And the third motive for visiting Mexico to develop," smiled Fremont.
"I wish I knew about that third motive. I understand the first
two--one you told me and one I guessed."
"You shall know the other in time," said Nestor. "Just at present,
however, the secret is not mine. Important issues are at stake, and
I must keep my lips shut, even when talking with you, concerning our mission."
"All right," said Fremont. "Don't worry about me. I'll get it out of
you in some way. See if I don't."
Shortly after this conversation closed Nestor went out into the city to
arrange for the trip to the mountains. As he left the little hotel he
imagined that he saw men bearing unmistakable stamp of plain-clothes
policemen hanging about, and it also seemed to him that he was followed
as he walked down the crowded street toward the river.
It was late when he returned to the room where he had left Fremont.
His suspicions had proven to be more than suspicions, for he had
indeed been tracked from the hotel, and had been obliged to do a
great deal of walking in order to leave his pursuers behind.
When he entered the hotel he saw that the plain-clothes men were
no longer on duty at the front.
He climbed the stairs to his room and opened the door with a little
quiver of the lips, for the place was dark and silent.
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