"
"Had I known what I do now, you would never have been stricken
down."
"I can tell you that had I known myself what I do now, I would
never have been stricken down."
"The man Garcia is your enemy!"
"Eh? What's that you are saying?"
"I am telling you the man Garcia is your enemy!"
"What do you know about the man Garcia?"
"I know he is a villain!"
The old smuggler fixed his eyes on the young man, and said:
"Who sent you here?"
"No one."
"Why did you come here?"
"To warn you against Garcia."
The statement in various ways, as our readers will recognize,
was the truth.
"You came here to warn me against Garcia?"
"Yes."
"Why should you come to warn me?"
"Because I know the man who assailed you to be a villain."
"The man who assailed me?"
"Yes."
"How do you know who assailed me?"
"I know him."
"How comes it that you are any friend? Why should you warn
me? Have you known me before?"
"I never saw you until this night to my recollection."
"Then how is it you take such an interest in me?"
"My interest in you is because of Garcia's designs, I hate
that man. I am on his track, and I am the friend of any man
whom he is against!"
"Are you acquainted with my daughter?" asked the old smuggler
in a suspicious tone.
"I never saw your daughter before to-night."
"How did you know Garcia was coming here?"
"I tracked him."
"Why did you track him?"
"Because I knew he was up to some villainy,"
"You say the man is my enemy?"
"Would a friend assail you as you have been assailed sailed
this night?"
"How do you know Garcia assailed me?"
"I tracked him to this house, and a few moments after he left
the house you were found lying unconscious in this room.
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