Now she was afraid not only of him, but of many things in life. She had believed herself inviolable and that the world was there for her to conquer it.

Well, she had been conquered, not by the world, but by one man. A man who was stronger and more overpowering than all the smatterings of civilisation that she had thought so important or the money that she had believed could buy her everything she wanted.

Thinking that she heard a sound in the cave outside, she went to the curtain, torn by her desire to see El Diablo and her own fear of what sort of reception she would have from him.

She was afraid, she admitted it to herself, and then, forcing herself to a courage that was almost heroic, she pulled back the curtain.

The outer cave was empty, the table was already half laid with the breakfast things, but El Diablo was still dressing. She could hear him whistling very softly, a tuneless sound reminding her of the song of one of the birds out on the pampas.

She went towards the window and stood there waiting, feeling the warmth of the sunshine on her face and wishing that it would drive away the sudden hard constriction in her throat.

When he came into the cave, he seemed to come silently and unexpectedly, for he was there before she heard him.

She turned with a sudden start, her eyes wide and frightened, her lips parted and for a moment trembling.

“So early?” he questioned. “I thought you would sleep late this morning.”

His voice was calm and pleasant and there was no hint of anger in his eyes. She felt the fluttering of her heart subside and then she came across the room towards him.

“I wanted to say – thank you,” she faltered. “If you – hadn’t come – ”

Words failed her and she made a little piteous gesture with her hands that was somehow more expressive than words.

“Forget it,” El Diablo said briefly.

She looked up at him.

“You are not angry?”

“With you? What do you expect?”

She turned away lest she should see the expression on his face leap into fury.

“You warned me – your men were like – that,” she murmured a little unsteady, “but I didn’t – believe you.”

He did not answer her for a moment, but she knew that his eyes were on her face.

“The man is dead,” he said at length. “Forget him.”

“And you are not going to punish me?”

“I think you have been punished enough.”

The sunshine was suddenly very golden.

She felt her tension relax so suddenly that it was almost as if he had taken away some support that had held her up.

“Sit down,” El Diablo ordered in a tone of authority that she knew so well. “You need something to eat.”

She was thankful to obey him, sinking down in the place where she habitually sat for meals.