e grasp that threatened him.

They were quite alone. Redfield was entirely unarmed, but his opponent
wore a sword at his side, with pistol and knife hanging from his belt.
Having made the assault, the only safety for Redfield lay in his gaining
the ascendency over his opponent by sheer physical effort, to enable him
to keep Brisbau from using the weapons at his side. He missed the hold
around both arms which he had planned, but firmly secured Brisbau's
right arm, while his own right hand grasped the other's wrist. These
advantages he succeeded in holding, although he could do nothing towards
disarming Brisbau or binding him more securely as a captive.

They struggled long and furiously. Redfield, whose position required his
utmost exertion, gradually became exhausted; but he had a desperate
determination to win the mastery over Brisbau, who was likewise weary
from the struggle and doggedly angry. He feared a result disastrous to
himself if he gave his opponent an opportunity to use his weapons.

Finally, just at a critical moment, Mrs. Redfield appeared. She started
at the sight which met her eyes; but, seeing the situation at a glance,
she ran back into the room out of which she had come, and quickly
reappeared with a rope. With a woman's ready wit, she had found the
means of bringing victory to her husband. She threw the rope around
Brisbau's shoulders and wound it over his arms until he was powerless
to resist further. He was then easily bound and tied, body and legs, to
a chair, grumbling his angry displeasure at the turn of affairs.

Captain Redfield paused a little while to recover his balance, and sat
down to cogitate the matter of the disposition of his prisoner; and,
also, to watch for the return of his men from an excursion they had gone
upon for the entertainment of their guests. They were slow in coming,
and an annoying suspicion grew upon him. He could not tell what the
attitude of Brisbau's men might be; or if a conflict between them and
his own men were to occur, what consequences might ensue. At any rate,
he wished to avoid such a conflict if it were by any means possible; but
he feared it could not be done. His good wife was greatly concerned, and
urged upon him some amicable settlement with Brisbau, even to the
delivery of part of the treasure; for, after all, she thought, his claim
might be just.

An hour later, one of Captain Redfield's men returned; and, to his great
dismay, informed him that an