e curse
launched against her. She bent like a slender reed under the strokes
of a flail, lower and lower against his arm, but when the deadly voice
flung the final taunt at her, she straightened slowly and looked at
Rotil.

"Yes, ask the padre--or ask me!" she said in that velvet soft voice of
utter despair. "That I sent an innocent soul to death is too true. To
my great sorrow I did it;--I would do it again! For that my life is
indeed a curse to me,--but his every other word a lie!"

Then she took a step forward, faltered, and fell back into the
outstretched arm of Kit.

"Take Senora Perez to the women, and come back," said Rotil. Kit noted
that even though he moved close, and bent over the white unconscious
face, he did not touch her.

"Senora Perez!" repeated Perez contemptuously. "You are generous with
other men's names for your women! Her name is the Indian mother's
name."

"Half Indian," corrected Rotil, "and her naming I will decide another
time."

Kit returned, and without words proceeded to help replace the holy
picture in its niche. In the struggle with the padre, a chunk of adobe
had been knocked from the wall near the door, and he picked it up,
crumbling it to a soft powder and sprinkled it lightly over the steps
where foot prints were traceable in the dust.

Rotil who had gone to the door to recall the guard, halted and watched
him closely.

"Good!" he said. "You also give me a thought concerning this animal;
he will bark if he has listeners, and even the German should not
hear--one never knows! I need a cage for a few hours. You have been a
friend, and know secret things. Will you lock him in your own room and
hold the key to yourself?"

"Surest thing you know," answered Kit though with the uncomfortable
certainty that the knowledge of too many secret things in Mexico was
not conducive to long life for the knower. "I may also assure you that
Marto is keen on giving you honest service that his one fault may be
atoned for."

"He will get service," stated Rotil. "You saved me a good man there,
amigo."

He flung open the door of the corridor and whistled for the guard.

"Remove this man and take your orders from Capitan----" He halted, and
his eyes narrowed quizzically.

"It seems we never were introduced, amigo, and we know only your joy
name of the singer, but there must be another."

"Oh, yes, there's another, all right," returned Kit, knowing that
Conrad would enlighten Rotil if he did