ho----"

"Hell won't wait for you one holy minute!" snapped Rotil. "Get back
with the women where you belong; there is men's work to do here."

He caught the priest by the arm in an iron grip and whirled him
towards the _sala_. The man would have fallen but for Kit who caught
him, but could not save the crash of his head against the door. Blood
streamed from a cut in his forehead, and thus he staggered into the
room where Dona Jocasta stood, horror-stricken and poised for flight.

But the sight of the blood-stained priest, and the sound of a strange,
half animal cry from the other room, turned her feet that way.

"No, Ramon! No-_no_!" she cried and sped through the door to fling
herself between him and his victims.

Her arms were stretched wide and she halted, almost touching him, with
her back to the chained man towards whom she had not glanced, but she
could not help seeing the charcoal brazier with the red-hot branding
irons held by Fidelio. The gasping cry had come from Conrad by whom
the brazier was set.

Ramon Rotil stared at her, frowning as if he would fling her from his
path as he had the priest.

"No, Ramon!" she said again, still with that supplicating look and
gesture, "send them out of here,--both these men. I would smother and
die in a room with that German beast. You will not be sorry, Ramon
Rotil, I promise you that,--I promise you by the God I dare not
face!"

[Illustration: "No, Ramon! No!" she cried, and flung herself between him
and his victims.]

"Ho!" snarled Perez. "Is the priest also her lover that she----"

"Send the German out, and let Jose Perez stay to see that I keep my
promise," she said letting her arms fall at her side, but facing Rotil
with an addition of hauteur in her poise and glance. "The price he
will pay for the words he has spoken here will be a heavy price,--one
he has risked life to hold! Send that pale snake and your men outside,
Ramon."

Perez was leaning forward, his face strained and white, watching her.
He could not see her face, but the glimpse of hope came again into his
eyes--a woman might succeed with Rotil where a priest would fail!

Rotil, still frowning at her, waved his hand to Chappo and Fidelio.

"Take him away," he said, "and wait beyond."

The shuffling movement and clank of chains was heard, but she did not
turn her head. Instead she moved past Rotil, lifted a candle, and went
towards the shrine at the end of the room.

A table was there with