"Can't you take me away?" she asked, faintly. "What will you do when--he comes?" "I reckon I'll manage him somehow." His grip upon her tightened painfully, and she could feel him tremble. "I was afraid I wouldn't find you. I--O God, Alaire!" He buried his face in her hair. "I had a terrible scene with him last night. He insists upon marrying me. I--I was hoping you'd come." "How could I, when nobody knew where you were?" "Didn't you know? I wrote you." He shook his head. "Then how did you learn?" "From Jose. I caught him within an hour of the murder, and made him tell me everything." Alaire's eyes dilated; she held herself away, saying, breathlessly: "Murder! Is that what it was? He--Longorio--told me something quite different." "Naturally. It was he who hired Jose to do the shooting." "Oh-h!" Alaire hid her face in her hands. She looked up again quickly, however, and her cheeks were white. "Then he won't spare you, Dave." She choked for an instant. "We must get away before he comes. There must be some way of escape. Think!" "I'm pretty tired to think. I'm pretty near played out," he confessed. "They're watching me, but they'd let you go." "Now that I'm here I'm going to stay until--" She interrupted, crying his name loudly, "Dave!" "Yes. What is it?" "Wait! Let me think." She closed her eyes; her brows drew together as if in the labor of concentration. When she lifted her lids her eyes were alight, her voice was eager. "I know how. I see it. He won't dare--But you must do what I tell you." "Of course." "No questions. Understand?" When he nodded impatiently she ran to the door and, flinging it open, called down the hall: "Father! Father O'Malley! Quick!" Then she summoned Dolores. The priest answered; he hurried from his room and, with a dazed lack of comprehension, acknowledged his swift introduction to Dave. Alaire was keenly alive and vibrant with purpose now. Dolores, too, came running, and while the men were exchanging greetings her mistress murmured something in her ear, then hastened her departure with a quick push. Turning upon the others, Alaire explained: "I've sent for some of the women, and they'll be here in a minute. Father, this man has come for me. He loves me. Will you marry us, before Longorio arrives?" "Alaire!" Dave exclaimed. She stilled him with a gesture. "Quick! Will you?" Father O'Malley was bewildered. "I don't understand," he expostulated. "Nor I," echoed Dave. "You don't need to understand. I know what I'm doing. I've thought of a way to save us all."