The Girl’s intuition told her that a member of the band stood before her, and she regarded him suspiciously.  Not that she believed that he was disloyal and had come there with hostile intent, but because she felt that she must be absolutely sure of her ground before she revealed the fact that Johnson was in the cabin.  She let some moments pass before she replied: 

“I don’t know nothin’ about your master.  Who is he?”

An indulgent smile crossed the Mexican’s face.

“That ver’ good to tella other peoples; but I know ’im here too much.  You trusta me—­me quita safe.”

All this was said with many gestures and an air that convinced the Girl that he was speaking the truth.  But since she deemed it best that the invalid should be kept from any excitement, she resolved to make the Mexican divulge to her the nature of his important errand.

“How do you know he’s here?” she began warily.  “What do you want ’im for?”

The Mexican’s shifty eyes wandered all over the room as if to make certain that no inimical ears were listening; then he whispered: 

“I tella you something—­you lika the Maestro?”

Unconsciously the Girl nodded, which evidently satisfied the Mexican, for he went on: 

“You thinka well of him—­yees.  Now I tella you something.  The man Pedro ’e no good.  ’E wisha the reward—­the money for Ramerrez.  ’E and the woman—­woman no good—­tell Meester Ashby they thinka ’im ’ere.”

The Girl felt the colour leave her cheeks, though she made a gesture for him to proceed.

“Pedro not ’ere any longer,” smiled the Mexican.  “Me senda ’im to the devil.  Serva ’im right.”

“An’ the woman?” gasped the Girl.

“She gone—­got away—­Monterey by this time,” replied Castro with evident disappointment.  “But Meester Ashby ’e know too much—­’ees men everywhere searched the camp—­no safa ’ere now.  To-norrow—­” Castro stopped short; the next instant with a joyful gleam in his eyes he cried out:  “Maestro!”

“Castro’s right, Girl,” said Johnson, who had waked and heard the Mexican’s last words; “it is not safe a moment more here, and I must go.”

With a little cry of loving protest the Girl abruptly left the men to talk over the situation and sought the opposite side of the room.  There, her eyes half-closed and her lips pressed tightly together she gave herself up to her distressing fears.  After a while it was made plain to her that she was being brought into the conversation, for every now and then Castro would look curiously at her; at length, as if it had been determined by them that nothing should be undertaken without her advice, Johnson, followed by his subordinate, came over to her and related in detail all the startling information that Castro had brought.

Quietly the Girl listened and, in the end, it was agreed between them that it would be safer for the men not to leave the cabin together, but that Castro should go at once with the understanding that he should procure horses and wait for the master at a given point across the ravine.  It was decided, too, that there was not a moment to be lost in putting their plan into execution.  In consequence, Castro immediately took his departure.