Bandit Love

"Not quite," Myra answered. "I must see Don Carlos first. But I think

I have decided to show no mercy to El Diablo Cojuelo."

"I don't know what you mean," commented her aunt. "For heaven's sake

be sensible, Myra. It isn't a question of showing mercy to the

brigand, but of saving yourself and your reputation. I shall be in

agonies of anxiety until you have made a decision."

"I shall be in agonies myself until I have decided--and perhaps

afterwards," replied Myra enigmatically. "I shall get up now and get

the ordeal over as quickly as possible."

She wasted no time over her toilet, and save that she was very pale,

she looked her usual lovely self as she left her room and walked

towards the staircase. She halted for a moment in indecision as she

saw Antony Standish on the landing, evidently waiting for her, then

went on.

"I say, Myra, don't cut me," exclaimed Standish appealingly, nervously

fingering his tie. "I've been waiting for you. I--I don't want to try

to excuse myself for what happened up in that cursed brigand's den. My

nerve deserted me completely."

"And you deserted me," interjected Myra coldly.

"You see, there was Don Carlos to be thought of as well as you,

and--and I thought the only hope of being any help was to get away,"

Standish went on lamely. "Myra, I beg of you not to expose me to the

world as a coward, and to forgive me. There are officials down below

waiting to question you about what happened. They've been questioning

me, and I'm afraid I didn't tell them the truth. Now they're

questioning Don Carlos. From what I can make of it, someone has

suggested that Don Carlos is in league with the brigand Cojuelo."

"Who suggested that?" asked Myra, with a convulsive start.

"I don't know, but the officials wanted to know if I saw Don Carlos at

Cojuelo's place, and how I got away," Standish answered. "I told a lot

of lies, and said that Cojuelo let me go when I promised to pay a

ransom of fifty thousand pounds. Myra, you won't give me away and show

me up? I'll shoot myself if you do. Myra, if you say nothing about my

funking things, I'll swear never to breathe a word about your marrying

the brigand fellow."

"That is indeed kind!" commented Myra ironically. "I do not propose to

make public what happened if I can avoid it, but possibly El Diablo

Cojuelo may tell."