he barred her way.

"Are you in such haste? I've come on purpose to escort you back over
the bridge and have a little chat with you. There is something almost
comic in the situation, don't you think?"

"If there is, Mr. Wiley, it is discernible only to you." She shrugged.
"I will leave you to the enjoyment of it."

"Not yet, my dear! Our bird has flown, I know, but I am curious to
learn why you haunt the empty cage."

Willa paused, eying him steadily.

"What is it to you, as long as the Senora Reyes is not here?"

"Because I believe that you will lead me to her more quickly than my
agents can!" Wiley's smile became a knowing leer. "Very clever, your
conversation over the telephone the other night, designed for Angie's
benefit! You knew that she would report it faithfully to me and you
counted on it to throw me off the track, but it didn't quite serve its
purpose."

Willa's heart gave a leap, and then sank in a sick wave of fear for Tia
Juana. She did not realize until that moment how certain she had been
that the old woman was in the hands of those whose interest it would be
to keep her safe.

Wiley's attitude betrayed the fact that he knew no more than the girl
herself where Tia Juana was. What, then, could have happened to her?

"I really must congratulate you once more!" he went on, ironically.
"It was a master stroke, a flash of genius, to spirit the old lady away
from this latest retreat of hers, and pretend that you, too, were in
the dark as to her whereabouts. It was not your fault that the shot
fell short of its mark!"

Willa hesitated. Should she tell him the truth? That would, of
course, give him equal ground with her and he would move heaven and
earth to beat her in the search, but in her hideous new anxiety she
would almost rather know that Tia Juana was in antagonistic hands than
face the vague but terrible possibilities confronting her.

Starr Wiley accepted her silence as an admission and on the instant his
manner changed.

"I have followed you here to tell you that the time is past for
quibbling, and no mere ruse will suffice longer to put me off!" He
moved close to her and glared down implacably into her unwavering eyes.
"You refused to meet me half way, and now you shall hear my ultimatum:
You will produce Tia Juana or take me to her within three days, or I
shall tell what I know!"

"Mr. Wiley--" Willa drew herself up very straight and tall--"I have no
statement to make a