"Heaven had no hand in it!" cried the girl. "Some evil spirit protected you!"
"Some time you will think differently."
"Never! You monster, how dared you do what you have done to-night?"
"Dare!" he laughed. "Have you yet to learn that a Del Norte dares anything? Have you yet to learn a Del Norte will risk anything to secure the woman he loves?"
She fought against the great terror that threatened to overcome her and rob her of consciousness once more.
"You must be deranged!" she said. "You cannot realize what your act will bring about. It is plain you do not yet know Frank Merriwell. If you did you would not fancy you could do this thing and escape the punishment he will surely bring upon you. Why, he will find you and make you suffer, even though he had to employ a hundred men and rake over every inch of these mountains. Once arouse him, as he must now be aroused, and he will follow like a Nemesis on your trail. There is but one escape for you."
"Only one?" questioned the man, with a touch of mockery in his voice.
"Only one."
"And that is—tell me what, señorita?"
"You must permit me to return to him without delay. You must see that I return unharmed. If you do that, I give you my promise to keep him still long enough for you to get far away. If you are wise you will make all haste back to your own country."