“Pierre,” said he, “if I tell you where that key is, what will you do?”

“If!” exclaimed the Ranchero; “there are no ifs or ands about it.  You must tell me where it is.”

“But what I want to know is, what will you do with me?”

“I promise you, upon the honor of a gentleman, that no harm shall be done you.”

“Gentleman!” sneered Frank.  “The State’s prison is full of such gentlemen as you are.  If I were trying to rob a man of a few cents, I’d never think of calling myself a gentleman.”

“Now, just look here,” said Pierre, “if you think you can fool me, you were never more mistaken in your life.  A few cents, indeed!  I heard all that passed between you and Mr. Brown, and I know that there are twelve thousand dollars somewhere in that office.  I call it a fortune.  It is much more than I could ever earn herding cattle, and I am bound to have it.  Where’s that key?”

“You must answer my question first,” said Frank.  “If you had the key in your hand now, what would you do with me?”

“Well, as I am not fool enough to give you the least chance for escape, the first thing I should do would be to tie you hard and fast to that bed-post.  Then I’d take the gold, mount my horse, and be off to the mountains.”

“And leave me tied up here?” exclaimed the prisoner.

“Exactly.  Felix, or the housekeeper, would release you in the morning.”

This answer came upon Frank like a bucket of cold water.  His fine plan for releasing himself and capturing the robber would not work.  The latter saw his look of disappointment, and laughed derisively.

“I am too old,” said he, “to allow a boy like you to play any tricks upon me.  You won’t tell me where the key is, then?”

“No, I won’t.  If that money was mine, you might take it, and I would run the risk of catching you before you could get very far away with it.  But it belongs to my uncle; you have no claim upon it, and, what’s more, you sha’n’t touch it.”

“Is that your final answer?” asked the Ranchero, bracing himself for a strong pull.  “You had better ponder the matter well before you decide.  What do you suppose your uncle will think, when he comes home and finds you hanging to this hook?  He had rather lose the money a thousand times over than to part with you.”

Frank shuddered as the Ranchero said this, and, for the first time, he felt his firmness giving away.  But he was possessed of no ordinary degree of fortitude, and, after a momentary thrill of terror, his courage returned, and he looked at Pierre as bravely as ever.

The Ranchero paused for a moment or two, to give his last words time to have their full effect, and then said:  “Once more—­yes or no.”