“There would be no deceit in it, caballero. I love you! Have pity, and be kind!”
“Kind! May the saints teach me new ways of kindness! We must live—we must live now!”
He clasped her close, rained kisses on her face, felt her own lips respond to his, knew that tears were streaming down her cheeks. In the darkness that put night to shame they plighted troth, while the shrieks of hostiles came to their ears, and the cracking of flames, and the knowledge of violence and pain and death was in their minds. Yet in their hearts was a song such as love always causes, and a new courage to face whatever was to come....
“To the chapel—it is the only chance,” he said, after a time. “I pray the Governor arrives soon!”
“And then—?” she asked. There was sudden fear in her heart for her caballero. Had not the Governor ordered him taken alive or dead? Where was the way out?
But he had no chance to answer. Behind them a shaft of light struck into the tunnel; the shrieks came nearer. The hostiles had found the opening at last. Now they advanced swiftly, pistols ready, holding torches above their heads, crying vengeance on the caballero who had slain their leader.
With the girl still clasped in his arms, he stumbled on through the tunnel, making better progress than his pursuers since he had been through it so often before. He stopped once to discharge his pistol and check them for a moment, and then staggered on, bending low where the tunnel was small, running at times, shielding the señorita at the sharp turns.
He stopped. Far behind were the cries of their pursuers; ahead was the din of battle. The caballero peered through the crack into the mortuary chapel and saw one wounded soldier there tying a bandage on his arm. The door to the main part of the church was almost closed.
He hesitated only long enough to whisper instructions to the girl, then tugged at the section of wall so that it swung inward. With a bound he was in the chapel, his empty pistol menacing the trooper. Anita ran in behind him.
“Hold!” the caballero cried. “Not a move, señor, else you die!”