She had seen him cross himself at the side of the dead man and guessed that he was a Catholic and for that reason, if for no other, he might be less experienced at lying than his tougher friend.

For a moment he hesitated and then, glancing over his shoulder as if afraid that they might be overheard, he whispered two words,

“El Diablo!”

“The Devil!” Skye exclaimed. “That is ridiculous, as you well know. How can an ordinary human being be the Devil?”

“That is what he is called, señorita, and that is all I know.”

There was a simplicity about the way he spoke, which told Skye that this was the truth. When they were out of the wood, she rode ahead with Jimmy and told him what the boy had said.

“We will make enquiries,” he said. “I imagine the man is some local bandit. He may be a landowner or a farmer in a big way, but somehow I doubt it. If he was, these town boys would not be so frightened of him. I wish to goodness I had asked the Embassy for a confidential report on Mariposa before we left New York. But if you remember, you told me only that you were going to cruise through the Caribbean.”

“Which we did,” Skye interposed.

“But you didn’t add, until you got me well away to sea, that you intended to stay in Mariposa. Now perhaps you will change your mind, so one good thing has been gained by this ride.”

“Change my mind?” Skye cried. “If anything, this has cemented my desire to see more and yet more of the country. If you think the first twopenny bandit I meet is going to frighten me out of Mariposa, you are much mistaken.”

“Well, I suppose there are other directions you can ride in,” Jimmy sighed.

“When I think of that man,” Skye said, “it makes me so angry that I can understand anyone shooting a brute like that. If I had a revolver on me, I think I should have put a bullet into him.”

“I shouldn’t try tricks of that sort,” Jimmy said drily. “All the same, when you go riding in future, it might be a good idea to take a revolver with you! For goodness sake, though, don’t shoot anybody, but at the same time a shot fired into the air will often scare a hostile crowd.”

“I don’t believe an atom bomb would scare that lot,” Skye replied, “but I’ll take your advice.”

“I don’t know what to do about you, I don’t really,” Jimmy said with a groan. “You would think that this incident would show you that Mariposa is not entirely a land of milk and honey. Please come to Chile with me, Skye, and later, if I get some leave, I will bring you back here again.”

“Dear Jimmy, I should hate to interfere with your diplomatic career.”