had not struck
the grass when a sharp whistle cut through the still night. The
whistle came from somewhere in the shadows within the enclosure.

Kendric stood stone still. But had he been ready for flight he knew
now that he could not have gone twenty paces before they stopped him.
Where he had heard the voices of two men he now heard an overturned
chair, jingle of spur and thud of boots, a sharp command. He saw two
figures run out on the wall and leap down into the saddles just below.
And he knew that in the other towers there had been like readiness and
like action. For already he saw four mounted men and needed no telling
that each man carried a rifle.

He climbed back on the wall, his curiosity for the moment satisfied.
And there he sat until one of the riders galloped to him. The man came
close and said gruffly:

"It is not permitted to cross the wall. It would be best if Senor
Americano remembered. And went back to the house."

"Right-o!" agreed Kendric cheerily. "I just wanted to be sure,
_compadre_," and he turned and dropped back into the garden. "She
holds the cards, ace, face and trump!" he conceded sweepingly. "But
the game's to play." And, as again he strolled along the driveway, his
thoughts were not unpleasant. For what had he come adventuring into
Lower California if he weren't ready for what the day might bring? The
situation had its zest. He wondered how many men were hidden about the
garden, like the fellow who had watched him and whistled? How many
were watching him now? He reflected as he walked on, but his
conjectures were not so deep as to make him oblivious of his cigar. On
the whole, for the night, he was content.

Just as he turned the corner of the house a rider, coming from the
double front gate, raced down the driveway and flung himself to the
ground. A figure stepped out from the shadowy corridor and Kendric was
near enough to recognize the second figure as that of Captain Escobar,
even before he heard his sharp:

"Is that you, Ramorez? What luck?"

"Si, Senor Capitan. It is Ramorez. And the luck is fine!"

"You have her?" Escobar's tone was exultant.

"Just outside. Sancho is bringing her. I am here for orders. Where
shall we take her?"

"Here. Into the house. Senorita Castelmar knows everything and is
with us."

Ramorez swung back up into the saddle and spurred away, gone into the
darkness under the trees toward the gate. Kendric stood where he wa