a hell of a
ransom,--and that woman will pay. Let no one forget that her pay will
be heavy!"

"That paying is for afterwards!" decided Rotil airily, "but here and
now we men would see a wedding before we leave Soledad. Capitan
Rhodes, will you bring in Dona Jocasta?"

Kit, in some wonder, went on the errand, and found the women eager to
deck her with blossoms and give some joyous note to the wedding of the
dawn, but she sat cold and white with the flowers of the desert
springtime about her, and forbade them.

"He terrifies me much in sending that word to wake me with this
morning," she protested. "I tell you I will kill myself before I live
one more day of life with Jose Perez! I told him all my heart in the
_sala_ last night, and it means not anything to Ramon Rotil;--he would
tie me in slavery to that man I hate!"

"Senora, I do not know what the general means, but I know it is not
that. His work is for your service, even though appearance is
otherwise."

"You think that?"

"I almost know it."

"Then I go," she decided. "I think I would have to go anyway, but the
heart would be more heavy, _Santa Maria_!--but this place of Soledad
is strange in its ways."

It was the first time he had seen her frightened, but her mouth
trembled, and her eyes sought the floor.

He reached out and took her hand; it was terribly cold.

"Courage, and trust Rotil," he said reassuringly. "When you sift out
the whole situation that is about all left to any of us here in the
desert."

He led her along the corridor, the women following. Men with pack
animals were gathering in wonder around the cases in the plaza, and
through the portal they saw the impromptu bridal procession, and fell
silent. The Americano appeared to have a hand in every game,--and that
was a matter of wonder.

As they entered, Padre Andreas was reading aloud the brief history of
Jocasta Benicia Sandoval, eldest daughter of Teresa Sandoval and
Ignatius Sanchez of Santa Ysobel in the Sierras. Padre Andreas had
balked at writing the paternity of children of Teresa Sandoval, but a
revolver in Rotil's hand was the final persuader.

"This is to be all an honest record for which there are witnesses in
plenty," he stated. "Teresa Sandoval had only one lover,--even though
Padre Ignatius Sanchez did call her daughters nieces of his! But the
marriage record of Senora Jocasta Sandoval shall have only truth."
Jocasta wrote her name to the statement as directed, and no