Caught

           TheplansforthedetentionoftheflyingPresidentMirafloresandhiscompanionatthecoastlineseemedhardlylikelytofail.Dr.ZavallahimselfhadgonetotheportofAlazantoestablishaguardatthatpoint.AtSolitastheLiberalpatriotVarrascouldbedependedupontokeepclosewatch.GoodwinheldhimselfresponsibleforthedistrictaboutCoralio.

           Thenewsofthepresident’sflighthadbeendisclosedtonooneinthecoasttownssavetrustedmembersoftheambitiouspoliticalpartythatwasdesirousofsucceedingtopower.ThetelegraphwirerunningfromSanMateotothecoasthadbeencutfaruponthemountaintrailbyanemissaryofZavalla’s.Longbeforethiscouldberepairedandwordreceivedalongitfromthecapitalthefugitiveswouldhavereachedthecoastandthequestionofescapeorcapturebeensolved.

           GoodwinhadstationedarmedsentinelsatfrequentintervalsalongtheshoreforamileineachdirectionfromCoralio.TheywereinstructedtokeepavigilantlookoutduringthenighttopreventMirafloresfromattemptingtoembarkstealthilybymeansofsomeboatorsloopfoundbychanceatthewater’sedge.AdozenpatrolswalkedthestreetsofCoraliounsuspected,readytointerceptthetruantofficialshouldheshowhimselfthere.

           Goodwinwasverywellconvincedthatnoprecautionshadbeenoverlooked.Hestrolledaboutthestreetsthatboresuchhigh-soundingnamesandwerebutnarrow,grass-coveredlanes,lendinghisownaidtothevigilthathadbeenintrustedtohimbyBobEnglehart.