And finally, after some hours, they rounded a bend of a hill and saw the sea ahead of them, and the mouth of the dark cañon that ran down into it. Sanchez dismounted them beside the curving cliff. The loot was piled on the sand, the horses were turned adrift. Señorita Lolita was forced to dismount. Her wrists were lashed behind her, and she was compelled to sit on the ground with her back to the cliff’s wall.
Some of the pirates lighted a fire of driftwood. Sanchez stood looking out to sea, watching for the ship that soon would be due.
And then came Barbados and the pirates from the town.
“Fair loot!” Barbados cried as Sanchez questioned. “But we were outdone. Some devilish caballeros were having a supper, and we stumbled upon them, twice our number. But we have fair loot! And you have the girl!”
“Sí! We have the girl!” Sanchez replied.
Barbados walked over to her. “A pretty wench!” he declared. “Small wonder a man wished to have you stolen! Proud, are you? Ha! We’ll see what pride you have remaining by the end of the next moon!”
He whirled to look over the camp. “Sanchez,” he commanded, “put a sentinel up on top of the cliff. I do not expect pursuit, but it is best to be prepared. I ran across that fiend of a Zorro, and he marked me. But there are not horses enough left in town for himself and his friends, and he would not dare follow alone. Nevertheless, put a sentinel on the cliff.”
Sanchez obeyed. A man mounted to the top. On the level stretch of sand before them they could see his shadow in the moonlight as he paced slowly back and forth. Back and forth he went, while Señorita Lolita sat and watched the shadow and shivered to think of what was to come.
Barbados and Sanchez prepared the loot for the ship’s boats when they should come. There was an abundance of wine, and the pirates began drinking it. They shouted and laughed and sang, while the little señorita shuddered and watched the shadow of the sentinel as it went back and forth, back and forth.
And suddenly she bent forward, for there were two shadows now. Hope sang in her breast. One of the shadows was creeping upon the other.