One of the brigands swiftly approached him.
“You threaten us!” he said—“you, whose pistol slew our chief! I saw it all! But for your weapon Donatus would be living now. This for Donatus!”
Like a stroke of lightning he drove his knife into Maro’s bosom.
The valley was left far behind. The stars were beginning to pale. Still that muffled figure astride the horse in advance led them on.
They had trusted him. He had led them to the waiting and saddled horses, and he had led them from the valley, near the entrance to which another dark figure lay prone, but squirmed and rolled to get away from the hoofs of the passing horses.
But Brad Buckhart could stand it no longer. He urged his horse to the side of the mysterious figure, about whose shoulders the robe flapped in the wind.
“Hold on here, you!” cried the Texan. “You told us my pard had bribed you, but we reckoned we would combine with him a heap soon after leaving that cave. Where is he?”
“When we leave cave you see man on ground, tied, gagged, still?”
“That not him. You see ’nother man when we ride out from vallee?”
“That not him. First man guard cave; other one guard vallee. American boy say him lif with Injun in America. Him creep on both. Jump on backs. Fix them. Tie fast and gag. Old Joe Crowfoot teach American boy trick. Him take clothes from both men all he need. Brigands see him then in dark think him one of them. You want see American boy? Ha! ha! ha!”
“May I be shot!” growled the disgusted Texan. “I’m the biggest fool outside the bughouse, you hear me!”
Then, with a swift movement, he reached out, caught at the muffling robe and jerked it away, flinging it aside.
The gray light of dawn was in the eastern sky toward which the face of the supposed guard was turned. It was a laughing face, that of a daring American boy—Dick Merriwell!
“Dead easy!” admitted Buckhart. “But you’re a wonder!”
They looked back. Cavendish and Flavia had permitted their horses to slow down. Their figures could be seen against the pearl gray of the sky. He leaned toward her—she leaned toward him—their lips met.
Dick and Brad were too far away to hear her whisper:
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