e report that the English senorita
had asserted that you were El Diablo Cojuelo, and that your refusal to
deny the fact or to supply any explanation made this examination
necessary. I understand that you may have considered the implication
an insult, and now I can only apologise for troubling you and devote my
energies to hunting down El Diablo Cojuelo. Can you offer us any
assistance in locating his lair in the mountains?"

"You need trouble yourself no longer about El Diablo Cojuelo, senor,"
replied Don Carlos. "He is dead."

"Dead?"

"Yes, he is dead. Senor Standish, as he told you, fired at him and
thought he had missed, but he had sorely wounded the brigand, and when
I tackled Cojuelo afterwards, when he was endeavouring to prevent Miss
Rostrevor from escaping, he collapsed and died at my feet. He will
trouble us no more, senors, and I intend to claim his greatest treasure
as my reward for having made an end to him."

"Don Carlos, but this is news indeed!" cried the Commandante excitedly.
"El Diablo Cojuelo dead! Ten thousand congratulations, my dear Don
Carlos! Congratulations to you, also, Senor Standish, on ridding my
country of such a dangerous pest. To shoot a brigand in his own den
was indeed conduct worthy of a gallant Englishman!"

"Oh--er--thanks," stammered Tony, avoiding looking at Myra. "Why the
deuce didn't you tell us this before, Don Carlos?"

CONCLUSION

The officers had taken their leave after much handshaking and bowing.
Left alone with Don Carlos, Standish, and with Lady Fermanagh, who had
been a silent and puzzled witness of the proceedings, Myra suddenly
felt her self-possession deserting her, and fled back to her own room.

"Why did I lie to save him?" she breathed, as she flung herself down on
her knees by the bedside and buried her face. "Why?"

She did not need to ask the question. Her heart had given her the
answer. She knew she had lied to save the man she loved.

There came a knock at the door, and she started up, hastily dabbing her
eyes and trying to control herself.

"Come in," she called faintly, after a pause, as the knock was repeated.

The door opened, and Don Carlos entered. He was pale, but his dark
eyes were shining with happiness.

"Myra, darling," he said huskily, and stopped, overcome by emotion.

He held out his arms.... Deep was calling unto deep. Love was
calling. And Myra Rostrevor answered the call. She was in the arms of
her love