"Oho, senor priest," said he; "so you think that because I have once or twice restrained my anger, that I can be set at defiance with impunity! I'm tired of being magnanimous; so let me tell you that however merciful I have been before, I will show none now. You must go on. I will allow of no hesitation. Tell him that," he added, to Brooke. "He says," said Brooke, "that you must obey." Talbot scarcely heard this. She never moved her eyes from Lopez; she simply shook her head, with her immutable resolve as visible as ever. Lopez could see that the priest, for some motive or other, was bent on self-sacrifice. He took out his watch. "I'll allow five minutes," said he, "for decision. If at the end of that time you refuse, I will blow out your brains with my own hand. Tell him that." "Senor captain," said Brooke, impetuously, "let me say one word." "Translate for me, I say!" "One word first." "Not one--obey me!" cried Lopez, in fury. "Senor captain," said Brooke, not heeding him, "this is a priest. It is a matter of conscience." "Silence!" roared Lopez. "Tell him what I said. His time will soon be up!" Brooke turned to Talbot. "He'll only give you five minutes, Talbot," said he. "I'll try to dissuade him." "No use, Brooke," said Talbot, mournfully. "I came prepared for this." Brooke turned again to Lopez. "The priest says that his vows forbid him to blaspheme the holy sacrament of marriage in this way. He says he will die rather than risk his soul by an act of sacrilege." "A curse on his soul!" cried Lopez. "What do I care!" "Look out for your own soul!" cried Brooke. "Aha! are you too a priest? Beware, sir! your life is already in peril." At this moment Harry cried out in a loud voice, "Stop, Captain Lopez--stop, for God's sake! This is a mistake--a terrible mistake." Lopez turned round in a fury. "Gag that devil!" he roared. In a moment the soldiers had seized Harry and bound a bandage over his mouth, by which they effectually stopped any further remarks. The last chance yet remained which Brooke might seize for Talbot--it was to divulge her secret and tell about her disguise. To divulge it to this euraged and furious chieftain might now only render him ten times more furious and vengeful; it might only aggravate the doom of the prisoner; but the risk must be run. "Stop!" cried Brooke. "Senor captain, listen. It's a mistake--She is--" "Silence," roared Lopez, "or I'll blow your brains out!" "Senor, this priest is not--" "Seize this fellow!" yelled Lopez. "Bind him! Gag him!" Several of the men sprang toward Brooke, who struggled madly, shouting at the same time words which soon were drowned in the uproar that followed. Lopez now snatched a rifle from one of his men. Katie gave a loud scream; Russell fell on his knees; Ashby shuddered. Lopez took deadly aim at Talbot. "Your time is up!" he said, coolly.