Cojuelo
remorselessly. "Is it not true that you were willing to escape with
him, or by his aid, and leave the senorita?"

"Yes, yes, it is true," gasped Standish. "I lied to Myra to try to--to
save my face. Don Carlos said he would look after her. Let me go!
Let me go!"

"You hear, senorita?" exclaimed Don Carlos, his voice ringing out
triumphantly. "To save his own skin, your lover has renounced you....
Release the brave Englishman, my friends. The farce is over."

Nauseated by Tony's piteous exhibition of craven terror, Myra turned
away from him in loathing and contempt as the men released him.

"Oh, you coward!" she burst out passionately. "I was so sure you would
stand the test and would not fail me that I promised I would marry this
devil in your presence if you were dastard enough to offer to give me
to him to save your own skin. All these preparations for torture were
only bluff to test your courage and your love. You have failed me,
Tony, in my hour of greatest need, and I hate and despise you. I would
give myself to any bandit now rather than marry you!"

"I hold you to your promise, senorita," cried Cojuelo. "You will marry
me here and now in the presence of Senor Standish.... Come hither,
Padre Sancho, and perform the marriage service."

A fat little bald-headed man, dressed in a greasy black cassock and
carpet slippers, shuffled forward and addressed some questions to Myra
in a wheezy voice.

"He is asking if you are willing to marry me," Cojuelo interpreted.

"Yes, I will keep my promise and marry you in the presence of the man
who has failed me," said Myra, and flashed a glance at Standish that
made him quail.

"Here, I say! I--I didn't realise it was bluff," faltered Standish.
"I'll do anything... Cojuelo, I'll pay you fifty thousand if only
you'll----"

"Proceed with the ceremony, Padre Sancho," interrupted Cojuelo; and the
monk opened his book and began to gabble unintelligibly in his wheezy
voice. Presently he paused and addressed a question to the hooded
figure.

"I will," said Cojuelo, and took Myra's listless hand in his own. "You
Myra, will also answer 'I will,' when the Padre asks you. This ring,
which I took from the finger of Don Carlos de Ruiz, will serve for the
present."

"Myra, for heaven's sake----" broke in Tony Standish, but Myra paid no
heed to him.

"I will," she answered firmly, in response to the priest's
unintelligible question.

It struck her sud