"A great deal." "What do you mean?" "There will be a _third demand_." "How?" "Upon you." "For what?" "Gold." "By whom?" "The chief." "What will the demand be for?" "I'll tell you the truth, as I happen to know it, or, rather, suspect it, from what I do know, have seen, and heard." "I hope that you will act squarely with me, Mr. Wolf." "Upon my life, I will, and though I cannot help you now, must even appear to be your foe, in the end I will help you and prove to be your friend." "I hope so." "You ask what this third demand will be?" "Yes." "Will you ransom Bernard Brandon?" "Where is he?" "A fugitive." "Where?" "He will be in this camp to-morrow." "Ah! then I will see him?" "No; he will not arrive until after your departure." "I will await his coming." "That cannot be, for I have orders to start with you to be ransomed, and you are not supposed to know that he has been captured." "But you have told me so." "It was a confidential communication, and if you betray me I can render you no further service, for my usefulness will be gone; in fact, I would be put to death." "I will not betray you." "Thank you, but let me say that Brandon will be brought here, for two men now have him in charge, and are on the trail here." "Yes." "You will be ransomed, and then go to Last Chance. There you will learn of Brandon's mysterious disappearance, and a ransom will soon after be demanded for him." "Yes." "You will pay it?" "Of course I will." "Then comes the third trial." "What is it?" "_You will be captured!_" "Ah!" "It is true." "By whom?" "The masked chief of The Cloven Hoofs of the Grand Canyon of the Colorado." "He will still hunt me down?" "He will." "Being forewarned is being forearmed." "Not in this case." "Why so?" "He works in a most mysterious way, and do all you may you will be captured by him." "And another ransom demanded?" "Yes." "And so he will continue to rob me of my gold." "In this case, the ransom will not be of gold." "I do not understand." "The ransom demanded _will be your hand in marriage_." Celeste uttered a cry of alarm, and started back with a look of horror upon her beautiful face. CHAPTER XXVII. THE DEPARTURE. The reply of the outlaw officer, telling what the third demand to be made upon Celeste Seldon would be, caused her face to pale and her lips quiver, while her eyes burned brightly with indignation. She stood for a moment in silence, and then asked: "Do you mean that he will make this demand upon me?" "I mean that the demand will be made upon you by one who will enforce it." "Who?" "That I cannot tell you, more I cannot say to you, yet I will relieve your anxiety by saying that I will protect you, cost whose life it may." "You?" "Yes, if you are again captured, though, if I can prevent it, I will." "But if I am?"