"_Later_--De Sylva landed last night at the small port of Maceio in the
province of Alagoas, a hundred miles south of Pernambuco. It is
currently reported that Fernando Noronha was captured by a gang of
British freebooters. De Sylva's return is unquestionable. To-day he
issued a proclamation, and his partisans have seized some portion of
the railway. Excitement here is at fever heat."
Verity glared at the journalist. He laughed, almost hysterically.
"The _Andromeda_!" he gasped. "Wot rot! Wot silly rot!"
"Better withhold your opinion until you have mastered the whole story,"
was the unemotional comment. "Here is a more detailed message. It is
printed exactly as cabled. We have not added a syllable except the
interpolation of such words as 'that' and 'the.' You will find it
somewhat convincing, I imagine."
The shipowner grasped another printed slip. This time he was able to
read more lucidly:
"PERNAMBUCO, September 4th. Public interest in the abortive attempt to
reinstate Dom Corria De Sylva as President was waning rapidly when it
was fanned into fresh activity by news that reached this port to-day.
It appears that on the 31st ulto. a daring effort was made to free De
Sylva, who, with certain other ministers expelled by the successful
revolution of two years ago, is a prisoner on the island of Fernando do
Noronha.
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