"It's worth trying," the captain urged.
Wolf returned to the house with his men, and in a few minutes Barbara came to Norman, her face white with terror, her voice quivering with pleading intensity.
"Please," she gasped, "for my sake, I beg of you not to do this insane thing! The regent asks for a conference under a flag of truce. He recognizes that it is impossible that you should remain here after what has happened. He asks for a half-hour's talk with you to offer an adjustment under which you can resign and return to San Francisco."
"It's a trick and a lie. He's deceiving you," Norman replied, sullenly.
"No, I swear it's true. He is in earnest, Catherine is beside herself with fear lest he be killed. He swore to her as he swore to me to respect your wishes. I'll gladly give my life if he proves false."
Norman turned his face away and looked over the still, blue waters, struggling with himself as he felt the tug of her soft hand on his heart.
Suddenly a hundred men with Wolf at their head sprang over the steep embankment and rushed to the dredge. Tom leaped to his feet and lifted his bomb without a word.
Norman covered Barbara and grasped his uplifted arm.
"It's all over boys. I've surrendered!" he shouted.
Barbara faced Wolf with blazing eyes: