e truth shall be quite
suddenly--" he paused just the portion of a second--"shot."

Uncle Henry had rolled in with the rest. At this last word his chair
reared up like a frightened steed. "Shot!" he cried.

"_Si_," answered Lopez, calmly.

"You mean it?" Uncle Henry asked, unbelief in his tone.

The bandit glared at him.

"Should I waste my time listening to sings which are not true?"

"Thank Gawd, I ain't got nothin' to lie about!" was Uncle Henry's relieved
thought, expressed aloud.

"H'm!" Lopez murmured. "You have given me a idea." He rubbed his hands
together, and then pushed his big sombrero a little back on his forehead.
"Better as my own. I shall use it."

Uncle Henry wondered what he had suggested. "What's that?" he asked.

Lopez took on the voice of an orator, or a man in court making an important
announcement. "If anyone 'ere shall tell me a lie, zen you shall all be--"
he paused dramatically once more--"shot." The final word rang out like a
shot itself.

A movement of despair ran through the group.

"Geemoneddy!" Uncle Henry broke the tension.

Lopez turned to Lucia. "All bot you," he graciously informed her. "I 'ave
ozzer plans for you!" Her hair enraptured him--her youth and loveliness.

The relief she felt at the first part of the sentence was quickly killed as
the sinister meaning of the latter part rushed into her brain.

"Other plans!" she cried.

"_Si._" He was unmoved by her apprehension. He walked to the very center of
the room, and looked about him, studying all their faces.

It was as if he were a central pivot and their destinies revolved around
him. They had no idea what he would say next, and they hung on his words.

CHAPTER IX

WHEREIN UNCLE HENRY CHATTERS SOME MORE, THERE IS AN AUCTION, AND THINGS
LOOK BLACK INDEED

"And now for business," Lopez said. "And remember zat he what tells a lie
shall be right away shotted." In his excitement he lost the little English
he had.

"I only hope _he_ tells one!" Uncle Henry couldn't help saying, pointing to
Hardy.

"You wish him to be shot?" the bandit wanted to know.

"Absolutely!" Uncle Henry was quick to answer.

Angela was horrified. "You want him to kill my dad?"

"I should enjoy it tremendous," Uncle Henry kept right on, and all but
smacked his thin old lips.

Lopez was interested. "Why," he said slowly, wishing to get at the bottom
of things, "do you wish him to be shotted so tremendous?"

Uncle Henry had n