“Can’t you believe me, Inza? Your eyes deceived you. I didn’t push him. He tore away from me, and I saw him reeling on the very verge of the cliff. I saw he must fall, and I sprang to grasp him. I was too late, for almost as soon as my fingers touched him he fell.”
She was silent now, looking intently at Frank.
“It must be true,” she muttered; “but it seemed to me that you gave him a push. Frank, I know you never speak anything but the truth. Even had you pushed him over I would have kept your secret.”
“I haven’t a doubt of it, Inza,” he said. “But I have hardly descended to such measures in disposing of an enemy. I regret exceedingly that this thing happened, for it spoils the trip up the mountain. We must go down without delay and search for Del Norte’s body. Let’s return to the hotel.”
She was trembling as she took his arm.
“I suppose that Mexican attacked me in order to get me out of the way, which would enable him to carry out his schemes in Mexico,” said Merry.
“There was another reason,” confessed Inza.
“Another reason?”
“Yes.”
“What was it?”