He hurried back to the bed and picked up the girl, then strode to the fireplace again. “In you go, _señora_!” he ordered. “’Tis but a drop of six feet, and though there is dust and soot it will not harm you. Drop straight into the darkness, and when you are at the bottom stand still. And not a gasp, else your blood will mingle with the soot!” “I--I can’t!” the _señora_ gasped. “Then will I be saved trouble by slitting your throat and leaving you here! Down, _señora_!” Trying hard to stifle her sobs of fear, the bulky _señora_ placed her feet in the hole and slowly lowered herself until her head was on a level with the floor. There stopped, with eyes bulging, until the caballero made a motion with the poniard. And then she let go and dropped, to fall with a thump at the bottom of the chimney in a shower of soot. The caballero listened a moment, until he was sure nobody on the floor had been attracted by the sound, and then he lowered the girl down the chimney, and followed to stand beside the _señora_ in the darkness. “The window!” he whispered. “Allow me to say, _señora_, that we are going through the window to the yard, then across the yard to the fence, where I have horses waiting. I advise you to move silently and listen for my orders, and obey them, for the least slip will mean discovery, and that will mean a quick journey for you to a land where there are neither hostiles nor neophytes--let us hope! The window, _señora_!” “I--I cannot!” “Then you will be found here on the floor with a slit throat! I am not a man to be trifled with, I assure you! And as for saying that you cannot, a person can do many impossible things when death is behind them and gaining steadily. The window, _señora_!” The caballero looked out first to see that the coast was clear. There were no Indians on that side of the house now. The majority of them were in pursuit of the fleeing horses, following the stampede, and others were in the patio discussing what had caused the animals to become suddenly insane with fear when it was apparent to all sensible persons that there was nothing of which to be afraid. He stepped back and motioned to the _señora_, and she began the task of getting through the window and to the ground below, finally falling with a grunt to the sward. In an instant the caballero stood beside her, with the _señorita_ in his arms. The _señora_ was guided by whispers now, but they were accompanied by such direful hisses that she continued to tremble with fear. Each instant she expected to feel steel pierce her back, thinking the caballero but awaited an excuse to put her out of the way, and so carry off the _señorita_. They reached the clump of palms and rested there for a moment while the caballero listened to the sounds that came from the black night about them. Then they went forward again, slowly, careful to make no noise.