more his knife
duel with Del Norte on the cliff, the escape from the cave, and the
struggle to get away from the landslide, when, with superhuman efforts,
he had carried Inza in his arms to a place of safety.

"Del Norte is dead," he muttered; "but he seems to be reincarnated in
Felipe Jalisco. I have not seen the last of Jalisco. That man Hagan is
dangerous, too. Without the backing Hagan will try to give, Jalisco
would give me little trouble in regard to the mine. His claim is a
forgery beyond doubt; but he seems to think it genuine. Were it not for
Hagan, I might do something for the boy, if his demands were anywhere
near reasonable. Hagan is determined to get his finger into the pie, and
he'll want a large slice. He'll get nothing."

Finally Frank slept; but he was awakened by something that pressed
sudden and hard across his throat. He tried to start up, but that thing
across his throat held him helpless.

Besides that, there was a sudden weight on his breast, as of a hand that
thrust him back.

Through the window of his room came a dim light, by which he discerned a
dark figure that seemed crouching on the edge of the bed.

He knew instantly that some person was there. Through the gloom a pair
of gleaming eyes, like those of an animal, seemed to look into his.

"Be still!" came a hissing whisper. "Make a sound and you shall die!"

By this time Frank was wide-awake, with every sense aroused.

He wondered if it was a burglar.

"Don't cry out!" again commanded his assailant. "One little cry from you
will be your last! Do you feel this?"

Something keen pricked Merriwell's throat.

"It is my knife," declared the unknown. "With a single stroke I can open
the vein in your throat, and nothing in all the world can save you."

The situation was one to send a thrill through the strongest nerves.

"What do you want?" asked Merry, in a low tone.

"Softer than that!" hissed the fellow with the knife. "Don't speak
louder than a whisper if your life to you has any value."

"What do you want?" whispered Merry.

"Ha! That is right! Now let me warn you further. There is a stout cord
across your neck, and you cannot lift your head if you attempt it so
much as your strength will admit. The cord is made fast to both sides of
the bed beneath you. You are perfectly helpless. First it is that I want
you to know. Even if the cord should not be there, with my knife I could
kill you when you tried to struggle. Now should