mercy of this outlaw, who professes to be
passionately in love with me?" she asked, scarcely recognising her own
voice. "Is it true?"

"True? Er--er--why, of course not," answered Standish, nervously
fingering his little sandy moustache. "I mean to say--er--what exactly
did Don Carlos tell you?"

"That you are prepared to leave me here, knowing that El Diablo Cojuelo
will force me to become his wife, and accept your own freedom rather
than run the risk of punishment," said Myra. "You are prepared to
renounce me, Tony?"

"No, no, nothing of the sort!" exclaimed Tony, his face flushing
duskily. "Nothing of the sort! I distinctly told Don Carlos that
nothing would induce me to surrender you to Cojuelo. Myra, darling,
you know I would never think of doing such a thing."

"So you assert that Don Carlos lied?" demanded Cojuelo sternly. "You
did not tell him you would accept your freedom and leave the senorita
to me if I refrained from flogging you and branding you? Will you
swear that on oath--on your sacred word of honour as an English
gentleman?"

"Don Carlos must have misunderstood me," Standish responded, nervously
licking his dry lips. "Look here, Cojuelo, drop this fooling and be
sensible. I realise you've got the whip hand, so to speak, and can
dictate your own terms. How much do you want? I told Don Carlos I am
willing to pay you ten thousand pounds--that's something like a million
pesetas in your money--to set Miss Rostrevor and me free. Think of it,
man--a million, and----"

"You have not answered my question, Senor Standish," interrupted
Cojuelo curtly. "Do you assert that Don Carlos de Ruiz lied when he
said you were willing to accept your freedom and leave the Senorita
Rostrevor to me? Will you meet Don Carlos face to face and denounce
him as a liar?"

"Don Carlos must have misunderstood me," repeated Tony. "It--er--it
isn't a question of calling him a liar. Look here, Cojuelo, what's the
use of all this bluff and bluster? Why don't you come down to brass
tacks and state your terms?"

"Don Carlos did not misunderstand you, and you are lying," Cojuelo
rasped at him. "Confess now to the Senorita Rostrevor that you have
renounced her."

"I shall do nothing of the sort, confound you!" Standish exclaimed
angrily. "Why the deuce don't you state your terms and have done with
it?"

"My terms were clearly dictated to you through the medium of Don
Carlos," said Cojuelo. "I give you you