"Everything worked smoothly, Senor Owen—the fellow gulped down some of the stuff and presently slept as sweetly as a cherub."
"Is sleeping still, and good for ten hours," declared Roderic, and then resumed his attitude of listener, believing that something of deep importance was coming next.
"When this result had been secured I opened the door and found Leon alive and well."
Inez uttered a fervent prayer of thanks.
"I had brought him some garments to put on, such as the Spanish soldiers wear, but knowing the hour was near when the officer of the guard would come along to see that each sentry was in his place it was decided that until that critical time passed I was to remain in the cell, while with the door barred Leon would take the sentry's gun and mount guard——"
Inez uttered a startled cry that seemed to come from her very soul, and turning from them darted toward the door of the dungeon.
Roderic knew what it meant.
He suddenly remembered how he had placed the nervous guard hors de combat—at the time he considered this a remarkably clever piece of business—now he was ready to call himself a fool for his action.
Good Heavens! what if he had gone a little further than he intended—what if the breath had refused to return to the seeming guard after his fall—it was Leon whom he had assailed, Leon, the very man for whose sake, considering the fact that he was her brother, he had taken all this deadly risk.
No wonder then he hurried after the impulsive wife, whom love sent flying through the cell door.