ot out, and his hard fist struck the Spaniard
under the ear, sending the fellow flying through the air and up against
the wall with terrible force. From the wall Mazaro dropped, limp and
groaning, to the floor.

Like a flash, the nervy youth flung the table against the downcast
wretch's companions, making them reel.

Then Frank leaped toward the stairs, up which he bounded like a deer.

"Where are you?" he cried. "I am here to help you! Call again!"

No answer.

Near the head of the stairs a light shone out through a broken panel in
a door, and on this door Frank knew the blows he had heard must have
fallen.

Within this room the boy fancied he could hear sounds of a desperate
struggle.

Behind him the desperadoes were rallying, cursing hoarsely, and crying
to each other. They were coming, and the lad on the stairs knew they
would come armed to the teeth.

All the chivalry in his nature was aroused. His blood was leaping and
tingling in his veins, and he felt able to cope with a hundred foes.

Straight toward the broken door he leaped, and his hand found the knob,
but it refused to yield at his touch.

"Fast!" he panted. "Well, I'll try this!"

He hurled himself against the door, but it remained firm.

There were feet on the stairs; the desperadoes were coming.

At that moment he looked into the room through the break in the panel,
and he saw a girl struggling with all her strength in the hands of a
man. The man was trying to hold a hand over her mouth to keep her from
crying out again, while a torrent of angry Spanish words poured in a
hissing sound from his bearded lips.

As Frank looked the girl tore the fellow's hand from her lips, and her
cry for help again rang out.

The wretch lifted his fist to strike her senseless, but the blow did not
fall.

Frank was a remarkably good shot, and his revolver was in his hand. That
hand was flung upward to the opening in the panel, and he fired into the
room.

The burst of smoke kept him from seeing the result of the shot, but he
heard a hoarse roar of pain from the man, and he knew he had not missed.

He had fired at the fellow's wrist, and the bullet had shattered it.

But now the ruffians who were coming furiously up the stairs demanded
his attention.

"Halt!" he shouted. "Stop where you are, or I shall open fire on you!"

He could see them, and he saw the foremost lift his hand. Then there was
a burst of flame before Frank's eyes, and he staggered