I know--if you do not--that Rosita is to leave here for Los Osos an hour from now in a private carriage, which your wife has ordered especially for her.

The same information tells me that this villain and another of his gang will be in wait for the carriage three miles out of the pueblo to attack it and carry off the young girl." "Are you mad!" said Demorest, in unfeigned amazement.

"Do you believe them capable of attacking a private carriage and carrying off a solitary, defenceless woman?
Come, Blandford, this is a school-girl romance--not an act of mercenary highwaymen--least of all Cherokee Bob and his gang.

This is some madness of Rosita's, surely," he continued with a forced laugh.
"Does this mean that you think better of your promise ?" asked Blandford, dryly.
"I said I was at your service," said Demorest, reproachfully.
"Then hear my plan to prevent it, and yet take that dog in the act," said Blandford.

"But we must first wait here till the last moment to ascertain if he makes any signal to show that his plan is altered, or that he has discovered he is watched." He turned, and in his preoccupation laid his hand for an instant upon Demorest's shoulder with the absent familiarity of old days.