“Beg favours of you! Then I do not, caballero. Do as you will with me—I’ll have none of your game.”
“Yet I must have some amusement before I go to sleep. Suppose you three soldiers have the game between you? Dice with death, eh? The two who throw lowest will be given to the hostiles. The one who throws highest will receive life and liberty.”
“I live or die with my comrades, caballero! I do not gamble with them in a matter of life or death!”
“Sergeant Cassara,” said the caballero, “you are a good soldier and a loyal man.”
He arose and bowed, and walked to the door. Taking down the bars and motioning for the gentile to stand there, he went out into the darkness. Near the wall he listened for a time, but heard nothing. He was quite sure the remainder of the soldiers would spend the night at the mission, else in the hills, but it was best to be certain and not be caught like a rat in a trap.
Returning to the barracks-room, he closed and barred the door again, drank another swallow of wine, and stepped across to the officers’ room.
“I leave you until morning, señores,” he said. “Your fate will be decided then.... Gentile, attend me!”
And then, followed by the Indian, he entered the other room and closed the door behind him.
“I can trust you?” he asked the gentile.
“To the death, señor. You saved me from a beating. And are you not Captain Fly-by-Night?”