“But you can’t do it,” said Dick, as he again wound his leg round those of the man and started to hurl him to the floor. As he was falling, Del Norte caught at the edge of the table, which enabled him to turn while coming down. He had clung to Dick, and this turn had flung the boy sidewise, Dick’s head striking a chair with great violence. A moment later Porfias del Norte was kneeling astride Dick Merriwell, with his hands on the boy’s throat. As if from a great distance, the boy heard the scoundrel saying: “It’s my time, and this is my revenge on your brother! Now you die!” ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XXX THE ESCAPE. Frank Merriwell rose from the edge of the precipice and turned away. He stopped in astonishment, uttering an exclamation, for not fifteen feet away stood Inza Burrage, her face ghastly white in the moonlight and her eyes regarding him with an expression of horror. “Inza!” he exclaimed. She shrank from him. “I saw you do it!” she panted. “You saw?” “Yes.” “Saw what?” “I saw it all! I saw you hurl him over the precipice!” “But I didn’t hurl him over, Inza.” “I saw it!” she palpitated. “Oh, Frank, what made you do it?” “Inza, I tell you I did not! He attempted to hurl me over. He led me here, saying you had fallen over this very precipice. Then I bent over the brink and looked downward. He sprang upon me. We had a struggle.” “And you ended it when you pushed him to his death!” “Can’t you believe me, Inza? Your eyes deceived you. I didn’t push him. He tore away from me, and I saw him reeling on the very verge of the cliff. I saw he must fall, and I sprang to grasp him. I was too late, for almost as soon as my fingers touched him he fell.” She was silent now, looking intently at Frank. “It must be true,” she muttered; “but it seemed to me that you gave him a push. Frank, I know you never speak anything but the truth. Even had you pushed him over I would have kept your secret.” “I haven’t a doubt of it, Inza,” he said. “But I have hardly descended to such measures in disposing of an enemy. I regret exceedingly that this thing happened, for it spoils the trip up the mountain. We must go down without delay and search for Del Norte’s body. Let’s return to the hotel.” She was trembling as she took his arm. “I suppose that Mexican attacked me in order to get me out of the way, which would enable him to carry out his schemes in Mexico,” said Merry. “There was another reason,” confessed Inza. “Another reason?” “Yes.” “What was it?” She hesitated.