Depressed by fatigue, the desperate situation of the party, and the menace of the frightful scene around her, Mrs. Stanley could not and would not speak to Thurstane when he mounted the roof, and turned away to hide the tears in her eyes. "You see I am housekeeping," said Clara with a smile. "Look how clean the room in the tower has been swept. I had some brooms made of tufted grass. There are our beds in the corners. These hard-finished walls are really handsome." She stopped, hesitated a moment, looked at him anxiously, and then added, "Have you seen Pepita?" "Yes," he replied, deciding to be frank. "I think I have discovered her tied to a tree." "Oh! to be tortured!" exclaimed Clara, wringing her hands and beginning to cry. "We will ransom her," he hurried on. "I am going down to hold a parley with the Apaches." "_You_!" exclaimed the girl, catching his arm. "Oh no! Oh, why did we come here!" Fearing lest he should be persuaded to evade what he considered his duty, he pressed her hand fervently and hurried away. Yes, he repeated, it was _his_ duty; to parley with the Apaches was a most dangerous enterprise; he did not feel at liberty to order any other to undertake it. Finding Coronado, he said to him, "I am going down to ransom Pepita. You know the Indians better than I do. How many people shall I take?" A gleam of satisfaction shot across the dark face of the Mexican as he replied, "Go alone." "Certainly," he insisted, in response to the officer's stare of surprise. "If you take a party, they'll doubt you. If you go alone, they'll parley. But, my dear Lieutenant, you are magnificent. This is the finest moment of your life. Ah! only you Americans are capable of such impulses. We Spaniards haven't the nerve." "I don't know their scoundrelly language." "Manga Colorada speaks Spanish. I dare say you'll easily come to an understanding with him. As for ransom, anything that we have, of course, excepting food, arms, and ammunition. I can furnish a hundred dollars or so. Go, my dear Lieutenant; go on your noble mission. God be with you." "You will see that I am covered, if I have to run for it." "I'll see to everything. I'll line the wall with sharpshooters." "Post your men. Good-by." "Good-by, my dear Lieutenant." Coronado did post his men, and among them was Texas Smith. Into the ear of this brute, whom he placed quite apart from the other watchers, he whispered a few significant words. "I told ye, to begin with, I didn't want to shute at brass buttons," growled Texas. "The army's a big thing. I never wanted to draw a bead on that man, and I don't want to now more 'n ever. Them army fellers hunt together. You hit one, an' you've got the rest after ye; an' four to one's a mighty slim chance." "Five hundred dollars down," was Coronado's only reply. After a moment of sullen reflection the desperado said, "Five hundred dollars! Wal, stranger, I'll take yer bet."