“Shall we go after them?” shouted Jim, as the senorita appeared on an upper balcony.
“No,” cried Ned. “They have too big a start, and I want to find out what they were doing here.”
Somewhat reluctantly the boys turned away, while the two outlaws put greater distance between themselves and the ranch party. The senorita, recognizing Ned in the moonlight, hurried back to her room and soon appeared at the side door of the ranch house.
“Senor Ned, what is it?” she called, and the boys were attracted by her soft and gentle voice.
Ned and the boys walked to the steps, taking off their hats, and Ned spoke up. “We were riding by at a distance, senorita, and we paused to look down at your ranch. While we were looking these two men that just rode away broke in a side window and entered the house.”
Ned then went on to introduce his friends, to whom the senorita bowed with a stately grace. They were quite taken with her beauty and charm, her fine olive skin and her flashing black eyes. She drew their admiration, for she was not the least bit terror stricken by what had happened, but only thoughtful and puzzled.
“In the library you say, Senor Ned?” she puzzled. “But why do you think they should want to go in my library? What is it that is in there?”
She spoke remarkably good English, with only a slight accent. Ned shook his head.
“Senorita, I do not know. May we inspect your library and see if anything is missing?”
“Certainly. Do come right in, and welcome,” she replied, and led the way into the small library of the Mercedes ranch.