prises of the night were confusing, and a simple man could not
dare prophesy what might follow," said Kit, who had drawn up a chair
and easily fell into Rotil's manner of jest. "But I fancy if that
courier had known who would follow after, he would have spent the
night by preference at Soledad."

"Sure he would,--hell's fire shrivel him! That shot of his scraped a
bone for me, and put my horse out of business. For that reason we came
on quietly, and these good fellows listened at the window of Marto
before they carried me in. It is a good joke on me. My men rounded up
Perez and his German slaver at Soledad today--yesterday now!--and when
we rode up the little canon to be in at the finish what did we see but
an escape with a woman? Some word had come my way of a Perez woman
there, and only one thought was with me, that the woman had helped
Perez out of the trap as quickly as he had ridden into it! After that
there was nothing to do but catch them again. No thought came to me
that Marto might be stealing a woman for himself, the fool! Perez made
better time than we figured on, and is a day ahead. Marto meant to
hide the woman and get back in time. It's a great joke that an
Americano took the woman from him. I hope she is worth the trouble,"
and he smiled, lifting his brows questioningly.

"So that was the 'trap' that Marto raved and stormed to get back to?"
remarked Kit. "I am still in the dark, though there are some glimmers
of light coming. If Marto knew of that trap it explains----"

"There were three others of my men on the Soledad rancho, drawing pay
from Perez. It is the first time that fox came in when we could spread
the net tight. To get him at another place would not serve so well,
for if Soledad was the casket of our treasure, at Soledad we make a
three strike,--the cattle, the ammunition, and Perez there to show the
hiding place! It is the finish of four months' trailing, and is worth
the time, and but for Marto running loco over a girl, there would have
been a beautiful quiet finish at Soledad ranch house last night."

"But, if your men have Perez----"

"Like that!" and Rotil stretched out his open hand, and closed it
significantly, with a cruel smile in his black, swift-glancing eyes.
"This time there is no mistake. For over a week men and stout mules
have been going in;--it is a _conducta_ and it is to take the
ammunition. Well, senor, it is all well managed for me; also we have
much need of that ammun