" drawled Tom, "that yo

mean?" demand

also extremely candid! You don't

He felt certain that fu

stand that you must do exactly what I wi

ir, that we haven't, any idea of doing

our minds," retort

the meantime, since we cannot live

" uttered Don Luis, looking astonished. "You are

e can't live here

not, ca

on the most wretched sort of ter

hink, find me extremely courteous. My house is open

out," mimicked Ha

you may start at any time, but you will assuredly find yourselves stopped and brought back. You simply cannot leave me, caballeros, until I give my conse

Don Luis," Tom returned. "However, we cannot and

well and carefully on that

and won't remain here

u trying to

ngeons under the house? Dungeons, I understand, we

ngeons here," sa

bstacle is removed to our departure.

s heels. But Montez, with an angry exclamati

ou shall not l

y, our late host wishes u

on, smiling. "I used to be

ny such childish spirit," Do

the proposition that you made us,"

e to your sen

possession of

oaxingly. Indeed, the Mexican had suddenly come to see that he was absolutely de

nger bound by the rules of courtesy. Nor do the laws of hospitality weigh with us, for you have chosen to bully and threaten

ny of the outlawed bandits who roam these mountains. Therefore, as Americans and gentlemen, we find it wholly impossible for us to rema

nger, which, however, he kept dow

yet, developed good manners. Therefore I overlook in you what, in men, might arouse my anger. Take my ad

the Mexican. Harry merely gazed into the Mexican's eyes with

footed Nicolas sprang forward, bowing, then swinging open the door. He bowed

her talk with this thief?" sputtered Harry, wh

, grimly, as he knelt upon his

s you do," rejoined Hazelton, clos

Reade, settling his own

In Indian file they m

d Tom, "be good

servant swung t

ed the trunk, noiselessly, to the floor. Going in

I am sorry that we are not longer to have the comfort of your services. Will you do me the favor of accepting

y and by Tom's desire to shake hands wit

bill. "Nicolas, you're a Mexican, but I wish they produced

ellow, in a husky voice. "I have not deserved this. And, though I hav

souvenir of what you didn't get," laughed Reade. "And n

It was more money than he had ever held of his own before-it was almost a fortune. Surely, these Americanos must suddenly have taken leave of their senses! Then

out on to the porch. There was no one there to oppose them, though Don Luis was secretly regarding them thro

and then out into the road, Tom continued. His back was

on, Tom," muttered

farther side of the road he dropped one end o

rather be an engineer, any

ed Harry. Then inquired, "W