for you both with the Senor Lacy, and
he will listen to what I say. You may trust me, if you unbar the door."

"And if we refuse?"

"We shall break in, and there will be no promise. I ask you now for
the last time."

Cavendish turned his head slightly to regard his companion.

"What shall I say?" he whispered.

"The man lies; he will keep no promise once we are in his power.
Besides they have not yet found Cateras. When they do there will be no
thought of mercy."

"Then we fight it out?"

"I shall; I will never give myself into the hands of that creature."

"Senor," and Cavendish stepped aside to the protection of the logs, "we
will not surrender. That is our answer."

"Fools!" he called back, his voice rising harsh above the growling of
others. "We will show you. Silva, Felipe, quick now; do what I told
you. We will teach these Americano dogs a lesson. No, stand back!
Wait until I speak the word."'

A faint glimmer of light through one of the log crevices caught
Cavendish's attention, and he bent down, his eye to the crack, one hand
grasping the barrel of his gun. Stella watched him motionless and
silent, her face again pale from strain. A moment he stared out,
without speaking, the only noise the movement of men beyond the log
walls, and the occasional sound of a voice in Spanish.

"I can count about a dozen out there," he said finally, his words
barely audible, and his eye still at the slight opening. "All Mexican
except two--they look American. Most of them are armed. You must have
pricked Mendez, for he has one arm in a sling, and the cloth shows
bloody. Ah! Wait! The fellows have searched the cells and discovered
Cateras. Do you hear that yell? It will be a fight to a finish now.
Here come two men with a log--that's their game then; they mean to
smash in the door."

He straightened up, casting a swift glance about the apartment. All
hesitancy, doubt, had left him, now that the supreme test had come. He
was again capable of thinking clearly, and acting.

"Miss Donovan," he burst out, "we can never hope to hold back those men
here--in this room. There must be fifteen of them, and our ammunition
is scanty. We shall be in bright light as soon as the door is battered
down, and then, if they crush in the window also, we shall surely be
attacked from two sides."

"What will be better?" she asked.

"The back room; it is dark, with no windows, and there are strips
nailed between th