“You must understand this thing, of course—it must look like a mistake. No man ever must think that the Governor had a hand in it, or that I did myself.”
“I understand, capitan!”
“Then it is agreed?”
“Sí!”
“I’ll have speech with the señorita again, and then ride like the wind. As soon as I have departed, arrange your men in the ambush. I’ll return with the troopers before nightfall. You can wipe them out, attack San Diego de Alcála to-night, return, abandon this camp, and sail away and establish another on the coast of Baja California. You’ll have wealth, women; your name will be spoken with respect!”
“Sí!” Barbados breathed. “It shall be as you say, capitan! And what share of the loot do you require?”
“Nothing whatever, if you keep the señorita safe for me.”
“She shall be kept safe, I promise you!”
Captain Ramón whirled around and hurried back toward the adobe building. Inez had the señorita in the front room, guarding her well. She had just finished a tirade concerning the attempt of the señorita to engineer an escape through cunning words and implications.
Captain Ramón ordered the woman outside, and urged the señorita to go into the storeroom again.