He had
communicated to them the intelligence from the Construction Camp as to
Pedro Montero. The brother of the victorious general, he had assured
them, could be expected at Sulaco at any time now. This news (as he
anticipated), when shouted out of the window by Senor Gamacho, induced
a rush of the mob along the Campo Road towards Rincon. The two deputies
also, after shaking hands with him effusively, mounted and galloped off
to meet the great man. "I have misled them a little as to the time," the
chief engineer confessed. "However hard he rides, he can scarcely get
here before the morning. But my object is attained. I've secured several
hours' peace for the losing party. But I did not tell them anything
about Sotillo, for fear they would take it into their heads to try
to get hold of the harbour again, either to oppose him or welcome
him--there's no saying which. There was Gould's silver, on which rests
the remnant of our hopes. Decoud's retreat had to be thought of, too.
I think the railway has done pretty well by its friends without
compromising itself hopelessly.
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