“Who told you he had horses here?”

“Some people in the poblacion.”

The man in authority called to one of the other men:

“Antonio!”

“Si, señor.”

“Here a moment.”

Sard heard the man go across to the officer. They talked together in a low tone for a minute: Sard could not hear what they said. Presently the officer called again:

“You, brother: turn round.”

Sard turned about into the light of the flare, to find himself covered by half-a-dozen revolvers.

“Do you know him, any of you?” the officer asked.