“Beverly Clarenden, you are a fool to get that Apache’s ill-will,” I cried.

“I may be, but I’m no coward,” Beverly retorted.  “Oh, here comes Jondo.  I’ve got a letter from Father Josef.  Invitation to some churchly dinner, I expect.”

Beverly threw the letter into Jondo’s hands and turned to leave us.

“Wait a minute!” Jondo commanded, and my cousin halted in surprise.

“When did you get this?  I should have had it two hours ago,” Jondo said, sternly.  “Father Josef must have waited a long time up at the church door for his messenger to come back and bring him word from me.”

Beverly frankly told him the truth, as from childhood we had learned was the easiest way out of trouble.

Jondo’s smile came back to his eyes, but his lips did not smile as he said:  “Gail, you can explain things to Bev.  This is serious business, but it had to come sooner or later.  The battle is on, and we’ll fight it out.  Ferdinand Ramero is determined that Eloise and his son shall be married early to-morrow morning.  The bribe to the Church is one-half of the St. Vrain estate.  The club over Eloise is the shame of some disgrace that he holds the key to.  He will stop at nothing to have his own way, and he will stoop to any brutal means to secure it.  He has a host of fellows ready at his call to do any crime for his sake.  That’s how far money and an ungovernable passion can lead a man.  If I had known this sooner, we would have acted to-night.”

Beverly groaned.

“Let me go and kill that man.  There ought to be a bounty on such wild beasts,” he declared.

“He’d do that for you through a Mexican dagger, or an Apache arrow, if you got in his way,” Jondo replied.  “But what we must do is this:  Twenty miles south on the San Christobal Arroyo there is a lonely ranch-house on the old Narveo estate, a forgotten place, but it is a veritable fort, built a hundred years ago, when every house here was a fort.  To-morrow at daybreak you must start with Eloise and Sister Anita down there.  I will see Father Josef later and tell him where I have sent you.  Little Blue Flower will show you the way.  It is a dangerous ride, and you must make it as quickly and as silently as possible.  A bullet from some little canon could find you easily if Ramero should know your trail.  Will you go?”

There was no need for the question as Jondo well knew, but his face was bright with courage and hope, and a thankfulness he could not express shone in his eyes as he looked at us, big, stalwart, eager and unafraid.

XV

THE SANCTUARY ROCKS OF SAN CHRISTOBAL

Mark where she stands!  Around her form I draw
The awful circle of our solemn church! 
Set but a foot within that holy ground,
And on thy head—­yea, though it wore a crown—­
launch the curse of Rome. 

          
                                                    —­“RICHELIEU.”