“Good of him,” commented Dick ironically.

“You will be freed of course—­at once.”  Manuel drew out his knife and cut the cords that bound the prisoner.  “But I must ask your forbearance in behalf of Sebastian and Pablo and the others that have injured you.  May I give them your pledge not to appear as a witness against them for what they have done?”

“Fine!  I’m to be mauled and starved and kidnaped, but I’m to say ’Thank you kindly’ for these small favors, hoping for a continuance of the same.  You have another guess coming, Mr. Pesquiera.  I offered those terms two days ago.  They weren’t accepted.  My ideas have changed.  I’m going to put your friends behind the bars—­unless you decide to let them murder me instead.  I’ve been the goat long enough.”

“Your complaint is just, Mr. Gordon.  It iss your right to enforce the law.  Most certainly it iss your right.  But consider my position.  Sebastian brought me here only upon my pledge to secure from you a promise not to press your rights.  What shall I do?  I must see that you are released.  That goes without saying.  But shall I break faith with him and let him be delivered to justice?  I have given my word, remember.”

Gordon looked up at him with his lean jaw set.  “You couldn’t give my word, could you?  Very well.  Go away.  Forget that you’ve seen me.  I’ll be a clam so far as you are concerned.  But if I get free I’m going to make things hot for these lads that think they can play Ned with me.  They’re going to the pen, every last one of them.  I’m going to see this thing out to a finish and find out if there’s any law in New Mexico.”

Manuel stiffened.  “You put me in an awkward position, Mr. Gordon.  I have no choice but to see you are set at liberty.  But my honor is involved.  These men shall not go to prison.  They have made a serious mistake, but they are not what you call criminals.  You know well——­”

“I know that they and their friends have shot at me, ambushed me, beaten me, and starved me.  They’ve been wanting to kill me ever since they got me here—­at least one of them has—­but they just didn’t have the guts to do it.  What is your definition of a criminal anyhow?  Your friends here fill the specifications close enough to suit me.  I ain’t worried about their being too good for the company they’ll join at the pen.”

“You are then resolve’, Senor?”

“That’s what I am.  I’m going to see they get the limit.  I’ve not got a thing against you, Mr. Pesquiera, and I’d like to oblige you if I could.  But I’m playing this hand myself.”

The Spaniard spoke to him in a low voice.  “These men are the people of Miss Valdes.  She drove all night across the mountains to get here sooner when she found you were gone.  She offered and paid a reward of one hundred dollars to help find you.  Do you not owe something to her?”

“I owe one hundred dollars and my thanks, sir.  I’ll pay them both.  But Miss Valdes cannot ask me to give up prosecuting these men because she would not stand back and see murder done.”