"My Charlee!"

"Yes."

"Oh, I dream such terrible thing!"

"Tell her our plan," directed Brad.

Cavendish did so.

"You may be kill, Charlee!" she whispered, in terror.

"It is the only chance. We must try it. Remain here, Flavia, while we creep close to the mouth of the cave and attempt to overpower the guard.

If we fail and he raises an outcry, we will knock him down at least, and try to secure his weapons. If you see us do that, come quickly and be prepared to run with us into the darkness. Are you brave, Flavia?"

"You make me brafe, Charlee. You brafest, bes' man in whole world!"

Even as he closed her loving lips with another kiss a surprising thing happened. Brad saw the guard halt at the mouth of the cave and look intently toward the dying fire and the dimly seen sleepers about it.

Then the fellow stepped into the cave!

The Texan gathered himself panther-like for the spring.

"Hist!"

The guard had paused, and from his lips came a sibilant sound.

"Englishman here? American boy here?" he asked, in a whisper.

"Whatever does this mean?" thought Buckhart, hesitating.

"Other American boy send me," declared the guard. "He have horses ready.

He pay me to help. I am sic' being outlaw. He gif me drachma 'nough to make me rich. I leaf this countree, lif hones' some other countree. I help you 'scape. You come now! Quick!"

"Great horn spoon!" breathed the Texan. "My pard has made a move! I knew he would! Oh, he's a bird, you bet your boots! But I don't see how he worked the trick of bribing the guard."

"Don't be fool!" hissed the man. "No time for waste! Come now!"

He found Brad and thrust a weapon into his hand.

"Perhap' have fight," he said.

The Texan doubted no longer, for his fingers gripped the b.u.t.t of a pistol.

"Come, Cavendish!" he palpitated. "Here is where we prance forth and trust to fortune and the sagacity of d.i.c.k Merriwell, the cleverest chap on two legs. You hear me gurgle!"

They followed the stooping, m.u.f.fled guard. The moment they were outside the mouth of the cave he turned sharply to the right and hastened into the enfolding gloom. They kept at his heels.

They had not gone far when Buckhart espied a prostrate figure on the ground. It seemed like a dead man, and the Texan paused, not a little startled.

"What's this?" he whispered.

"He tied, gagged, make no trouble," explained the guard. "I take care of that. Horses ready this way."

A loud cry rose behind them. They turned in alarm, but saw in the dim firelight a man bending over the prostrate figure of the chief, who had seemed to be sleeping.

That cry brought the brigands to their feet. The fire was stirred up.

They saw Ruteni kneeling beside Donatus.

"He is dead!" declared Ruteni sorrowfully. "While we thought him sleeping, he died!"

Maro and Tyrus were looking on. They saw the brigands gather sorrowfully about their dead leader. A look of great satisfaction rested on the face of the young Greek, and, seeing this, Tyrus hastily advised him to conceal his feelings.

After a little, Maro asked that the captives should be brought from the cave.

Two of the brigands hastened to bring them forth, but quickly they reappeared, declaring that the captives were not there.

Snarling forth his fury, Maro caught a brand from the replenished fire and dashed into the cave. He was gone but a few moments when he reappeared, almost frothing in his madness.

"I have been deceived!" he cried. "While I slept you dogs stole Flavia away. Miserable, crawling things, where is she? Bring her to me without delay, or I swear I'll see that you all are delivered over to justice!"

One of the brigands swiftly approached him.

"You threaten us!" he said-"you, whose pistol slew our chief! I saw it all! But for your weapon Donatus would be living now. This for Donatus!"

Like a stroke of lightning he drove his knife into Maro's bosom.

The valley was left far behind. The stars were beginning to pale. Still that m.u.f.fled figure astride the horse in advance led them on.

They had trusted him. He had led them to the waiting and saddled horses, and he had led them from the valley, near the entrance to which another dark figure lay p.r.o.ne, but squirmed and rolled to get away from the hoofs of the pa.s.sing horses.

But Brad Buckhart could stand it no longer. He urged his horse to the side of the mysterious figure, about whose shoulders the robe flapped in the wind.

"Hold on here, you!" cried the Texan. "You told us my pard had bribed you, but we reckoned we would combine with him a heap soon after leaving that cave. Where is he?"

"When we leave cave you see man on ground, tied, gagged, still?"

"Sure thing."

"That not him. You see 'nother man when we ride out from vallee?"

"Yes."

"That not him. First man guard cave; other one guard vallee. American boy say him lif with Injun in America. Him creep on both. Jump on backs.

Fix them. Tie fast and gag. Old Joe Crowfoot teach American boy trick.

Him take clothes from both men all he need. Brigands see him then in dark think him one of them. You want see American boy? Ha! ha! ha!"

"May I be shot!" growled the disgusted Texan. "I'm the biggest fool outside the bughouse, you hear me!"