denly he thought of me and hastened to my side. "We forget
Juan! My son, did the ball strike you?"

I put up my hand and reached out to him one of my locks, which had been
clipped by the ball.

"So close as that!" exclaimed Walker.

"You know the saying, 'A miss is as good as a mile,'" I replied, as
Malgares took my loaded pistol and carefully lowered the trigger. "The
question now is to agree on an account for His Excellency that will
clear my noble friend and second, and place all the blame upon me, where
it belongs."

"_Nada!_" rejoined Malgares. "He shall know the exact truth."

"Leave the matter to me," said Father Rocus. "You know my standing with
the Governor-General. I engage to prevent any unpleasant consequences."

"But--the--body?" murmured Walker, glancing askance at Medina's huddled
corpse.

"I will take it in my coach," said Malgares, without hesitation. "You
will ride his horse, and lend your own to Senor Robinson."

We each offered to take his place in the grewsome part he had chosen.
But all that he would accept of us was our assistance in stanching the
wound and carrying the body to the coach. Walker then set off ahead to
notify Medina's servants, while Father Rocus and I returned to the city
by a roundabout road.

The moment we were alone I asked my companion a dozen and one questions
about Alisanda.

He shook his head to them all. "There is nothing to tell, Juan, other
than she is holding out bravely against their persuasions and commands.
The point now is to convince Salcedo that the death of Medina has rid
him of one rival, and that he can free himself of another by sending you
away with your indomitable friend."

"But if it is to leave her behind--!" I cried.

"We shall see about that in due course," he replied. "One thing at a
time. Rome was not built in a day. Now ride on, and leave me, my son. We
approach streets where we are both known. _Adios!_"

There was nothing for me to do but to obey.

CHAPTER XXXI

MY CROSS

Upon my return I found the Lieutenant so preoccupied over an intended
visit to Salcedo that one or two vague answers satisfied his curiosity
about my early morning excursion. He started out at last, an hour or so
before noon, when I contrived with the help of old Caesar to wash my
wound and dress it in proper manner. Lest the Lieutenant or any one else
should notice something amiss and make inquiries, I told Caesar he might
say I had been bitten by a sco