“Quick, señorita! There is scant time!” he cried. “The pirates are having the best of it—”
“I am safer with them than with you!” she said with scorn.
He reached out and grasped her cruelly by the wrist.
“There is to be no more nonsense!” he exclaimed. “I am master here! You do as I say, señorita! Come with me!”
“Beast!” she cried.
“Hard words will not stop me now. Am I to be balked by a bit of womankind?”
He jerked her forward, put an arm around her, half lifted her from the floor, and carried her out of the building and through the billowing smoke. Around the corner he hurried, to his horse. Still holding her by the wrist, he vaulted into the saddle, then pulled her up before him.
“Help!” she cried. “Diego! Zorro!”
“Ha! Call to the fiend, but this time he does not come!” Captain Ramón exclaimed.
But Señor Zorro had heard her shriek. And the smoke lifted, and he and Don Audre Ruiz saw the commandante on the horse, the señorita held before him. Captain Ramón saw them, too, and kicked frantically at the animal’s ribs. The frightened horse plunged away through the smoke.