f of his attention
was upon the burning house.

"Nevertheless, you will permeet me to regret, _senor_," returned the
young Spaniard stiffly.

"Ce'tainly. You're naturally sore that you didn't get first crack at me.
Don't blame you a bit," agreed Dick cheerfully but absently. "Funny
thing is that one of your friends happened to send his message to my
address, all right. Got me in the left laig, just before you butted in
and spoiled their picnic so inconsiderate."

"You are then wounded, sir?"

"Not worth mentioning, _don_. Just a little accident. Wouldn't happen
again in a thousand years. Never did see such poor shots as your valley
lads. Say, will you excuse me just a minute? I got some awful important
business to attend to."

"Most entirely, Senor Gordon."

"Thanks. Won't be a minute."

To Pesquiera's amazement, he dived through the door, from which smoke
poured in clouds, and was at once lost to sight within.

"He is a madman," the Spaniard murmured.

"Or devil," added Sebastian significantly. "You will see, _senor_, he
will come out safe and unharmed."

But he did not come out at all, though the minutes dragged themselves
away one after another.

"I'm going after him," cried Davis, starting forward.

But Don Manuel flung strong arms about him, and threw the miner back
into the hands of the Mexicans.

"Hold him," he cried in Spanish.

"Let me go. Let me go, I say!" cried the miner, struggling with those
who detained him.

But Pesquiera had already gone to the rescue. He, too, plunged through
the smoke. Blinded unable to breathe, he groped his way across the door
lintel into the blazing hut.

The heat was intense. Red tongues of flame licked out from all sides
toward him. But he would not give up, though he was gasping for breath
and could not see through the dense smoke.

A sweep of wind brushed the smoke aside for an instant, and he saw the
body of his enemy lying on the floor before him. He stooped, tried to
pick it up, but was already too far gone himself.

Almost overcome, he sank to his knees beside Gordon. Close to the floor
the air was still breathable. He filled his lungs, staggered to his
feet, and tried to drag the unconscious man across the threshold with
him.

A hundred fiery dragons sprang unleashed at him. The heat, the stifling
smoke were more than flesh and blood could endure. He stumbled over a
fallen chair, got up and plowed forward again, still with that dead
weight in his