The house was
empty. Pablo worked there in the stables as a boy. So we moved in."

A quarter of an hour later Pablo opened the outer basement door in
answer to the signal agreed upon by them. He had left the prisoner upon
the bed with his hands tied. Sebastian entered. Pablo noticed that
another man was standing outside. Instantly his rifle covered him. For,
though others of their countrymen had been employed to help capture
Gordon, none of these knew where he was hidden.

"It is Don Manuel Pesquiera," explained Sebastian. "I brought him here
to help us out of this trouble we are in. Let him in and I will tell you
all."

For an instant Pablo suspected that his accomplice had sold him, but he
dismissed the thought almost at once. He had known Sebastian all his
life. He stepped aside and let Pesquiera come into the hall.

The three men talked for a few minutes and then passed into the bedroom
where the prisoner was confined. Evidently this had formerly been the
apartment of the cook, who had slept in the basement in order no doubt
to be nearer her work. Pesquiera looked around and at last made out a
figure in the darkness lying upon the bed.

He stepped forward, observing that the man on the bed had his hands
bound. Bending down, he recognized the face of Gordon. Beaten and
bruised and gaunt from hunger it was, but the eyes still gleamed with
the same devil-may-care smile.

"Happy to meet you, Don Manuel."

The Spaniard's heart glowed with admiration. He did not like the man. It
was his intention to fight him as soon as possible for the insult that
had been put upon him some weeks earlier. But his spirit always answered
to the call of courage, and Gordon's pluck was so debonair he could not
refuse a reluctant appreciation.

"I regret to see you thus, Mr. Gordon," he said.

"Might have been worse. Sebastian has had se-vere-al notions about
putting me out of business. I'm lucky to be still kicking."

"I have come from Miss Valdes. She came to Santa Fe when she heard from
your friend Mr. Davis that you had disappeared. To-night we saw
Sebastian for the first time. He brought me here."

"Good of him," commented Dick ironically.

"You will be freed of course--at once." Manuel drew out his knife and
cut the cords that bound the prisoner. "But I must ask your forbearance
in behalf of Sebastian and Pablo and the others that have injured you.
May I give them your pledge not to appear as a witness against them for
wh