"Thou shalt pay dearly for those stripes, lady!" roared Morgan, swerving closer to her. "And not now in honorable wedlock——"
"I will die first!" returned Mercedes.
Alvarado, meanwhile, had been struggling desperately to free himself. By the exercise of superhuman strength, just as Morgan again menaced the woman he loved, he succeeded in freeing himself from his loosely-tied bonds. His guards for the moment had their attention distracted from him by the group on horseback. He wrenched a sword from the hand of one, striking him a blow with his naked fist that sent him reeling as he did so, and then flung out his other arm so that the heavy pommel of the sword struck the second guard in the face, and the way was clear for the moment. He sprang forward instantly, seized Morgan's horse, forced him away from Mercedes by a wrench of his powerful arm, and stood at bay in front of the woman he loved. He said no word but stood with his sword up on guard, panting heavily from his fierce exertions.
"Alvarado, you will be killed!" screamed the girl, seeing the others make for him.
"Here we have it," sneered Morgan. "This is the secret of your refusal. He is your lover."
"Seize him!" cried Teach, raising his sword, as followed by the others he made at Alvarado, who awaited them undaunted.
"Stay!" shouted de Lussan, "there is a better way."
Rudely shoving Señora Agapida aside, he seized Mercedes from behind.
"Do not move, mademoiselle," he said in French, in his excitement, which fortunately she understood.
"That's well done!" cried Morgan, "Captain Alvarado, if that be your name, throw down your sword if you would save the lady's life."