"
"It's a bad business," said Runnels, "and it's something I for one
don't want to be mixed up in. I've heard rumors already about some
sort of a quarrel at our party, so I'm afraid you fellows have
been talking."
Wade acknowledged it recklessly. "Yes, I'll answer for my part,
and I'm not going to make any promise of secrecy, either. If that
affair had anything to do with Steve Cortlandt's death, it ought
to be known, so the man who did it can be made to answer."
Into the office behind them came Ramon Alfarez and two Panamanian
policemen, one evidently a sergeant.
"Eh, there you are!" Alfarez cried, as he caught sight of Kirk.
Then he said something in Spanish to the sergeant, who advanced
and laid hands upon the American. "You are arrest'."
"What for?"
"Gentlemen, you will be so kind as to geeve the names, yes? The
jodge will desire to make inquiries regarding those sopper to
Senor Cortlan' las' night."
"What am I arrested for?" Kirk demanded.
"Come! You are arrest'. That is enough."
At that moment the building began to shake and reverberate, as No.
5 rolled in from Colon, bearing John Weeks, American Consul, and
Mr. Williams, of St. Louis, in one of the forward coaches. As the
two hurried out through the turnstiles, they found the street
blocked by a considerable crowd, evidently interested in something
quite apart from the arrival of the morning train.
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