ould she, at one instant swaying toward a man's arms, the next whip
back from him, laughing at him?

Confused thoughts winging through his chaos of uncertainty held him
where he was, his eyes staring at hers. Zoraida might read some of his
mind but surely not all. What she realized was that she had offered
much, everything, and that he stood, seemingly unmoved and frowned at
her. Quick in all her emotions, now suddenly her cheeks flamed and the
light in her eyes altered swiftly to blazing anger.

"Go!" she cried, pointing. She leaped to her feet, her eyes flaming.
"By the long vanished Huitzil, I swear that I am of a mind to let those
dogs, Rios and Escobar, have their way with you! What! am I Zoraida
Castelmar, of a race of kings, daughter of the Montezumas, to have a
man stand up before me weighing me in the balance of his two eyes? Go!"

He turned to go, eager to be out in the open air. But as he moved she
called out to him:

"Wait! At least I will say my say. You and that fool Barlow came
here, into my land, seeking gold. Escobar comes slinking in like a
desert wolf on the same errand. Oh, I know something of it as I know
something of all that goes forward from end to end of a land that will
one day all be mine. Juarez died from Escobar's knife but his last
gasp was for one of my agent's ears. When you or Barlow or Escobar lay
hand on the treasure of the Montezumas, it will be to step aside for
the last Montezuma. It will be mine!"

Fury filled her eyes. The hands at her sides clenched until the
knuckles shone white through the blaze of her rings. The great cat
rose and yawned, showing its glistening teeth and red throat. Its eyes
were no more merciless and cruel than its mistress's. Kendric felt
queerly as though he were looking back across dead centuries into
ancient Mexico and upon the angry princess of the most cruel of all
peoples, the blood-lusting Aztecs.

"Go!" she panted.

With one after another of the doors thrown open before him Kendric
hurried away.

CHAPTER VII

OF A GIRL HELD FOR RANSOM AND OF A TOAST DRUNK BY ONE INFATUATED

Jim Kendric returned straightway to the rooms allotted to him and
Barlow, hoping to find his companion there. They must talk together,
they must understand each the other; they must know, and know without
delay, just in what and to what lengths friend could count on friend.
To the uttermost, Kendric would have said a week ago. Now he only
pon