Deadwood Dick's foot had suddenly caught the fellow in the middle, and over he went with a grunt terrific.
No sooner had he fallen than the girl was upon him, and her knife was buried in his breast, straight and true, and the cutthroat stiffened out to rise no more.
"There is one less," she said, rising. "I never killed a human before, but I would kill a score rather than be taken back to that man. Thank heaven, we are free yet, Dick. Do you want further proof of my devotion to you? Can you ask it?"
"I did not ask anything more than your word, Susana. You are a pard worth having. We will hang this fellow to the tree where they hanged me, and should they come this way again they will believe that Deadwood Dick is still there where they left him, and the surprise will be all the greater when the blow falls, as fall it must."
[CHAPTER XV.]
BANKER BROWN OF POWDER POCKET.
Meantime, Captain Joaquin had gone straight to the cabin.
He believed that Susana would go there to gather up some effects before trying to run away.
Of course he knew, or believed, that the shot had been fired at him by her, and that only confirmed the suspicion he had formed against her.