Money Maze

           ThenewadministrationofAnchuriaentereduponitsdutiesandprivilegeswithenthusiasm.ItsfirstactwastosendanagenttoCoraliowithimperativeorderstorecover,ifpossible,thesumofmoneyravishedfromthetreasurybytheill-fatedMiraflores.

           ColonelEmilioFalcon,theprivatesecretaryofLosada,thenewpresident,wasdespatchedfromthecapitaluponthisimportantmission.

           Thepositionofprivatesecretarytoatropicalpresidentisaresponsibleone.Hemustbeadiplomat,aspy,arulerofmen,abody-guardtohischief,andasmeller-outofplotsandnascentrevolutions.Oftenheisthepowerbehindthethrone,thedictatorofpolicy;andapresidentchooseshimwithadozentimesthecarewithwhichheselectsamatrimonialmate.

           ColonelFalcon,ahandsomeandurbanegentlemanofCastiliancourtesyanddébonnairemanners,cametoCoraliowiththetaskbeforehimofstrikinguponthecoldtrailofthelostmoney.Thereheconferredwiththemilitaryauthorities,whohadreceivedinstructionstocooperatewithhiminthesearch.

           ColonelFalconestablishedhisheadquartersinoneoftheroomsoftheCasaMorena.Hereforaweekheheldinformalsittings—muchasifhewereakindofunifiedgrandjury—andsummonedbeforehimallthosewhosetestimonymightilluminethefinancialtragedythathadaccompaniedthelessmomentousoneofthelatepresident’sdeath.

           Twoorthreewhowerethusexamined,amongwhomwasthebarberEstebán,declaredthattheyhadidentifiedthebodyofthepresidentbeforeitsburial.