He smiled at the positiveness of her tone and, bending down, opened a little compartment at the top of the chest.

“Diamonds are not very attractive until they are cut,” he said. “These should appeal to you more.”

He took out a little canvas bag and, opening his hands, poured a stream of flashing glistening gems onto his palm. There were perhaps thirty or forty diamonds sparkling in the candlelight shining against the brown of his skin.

“Take two or three,” he said. “Or a dozen, if you wish.”

Instinctively Skye drew away from him.

“It is kind of you,” she said coldly, “but I don’t like diamonds.”

“Then you are indeed different from the majority of your sex,” El Diablo said grimly. He held out his hand again. “Won’t you change your mind? They would make pretty earrings or a bracelet for your wrist.”

“Thank you, no!”

Skye walked back towards the couch.

What did this mean, she was wondering to herself. He had brought her here for ransom and now, having shown her a stupendous fortune in uncut jewels, he offered her jewels as a present!

She felt bewildered and at a loss. This was something else that she had most certainly not expected.

Without hurrying himself, El Diablo replaced the cut diamonds in their canvas bag, put them back in their separate compartment and, closing the top of the chest, locked the two padlocks and put the key in his pocket.

Then he turned towards Skye.

“It’s getting late,” he said. “My people all go to bed early here. They work hard during the daytime.”

They did not sound as though they were tired, Skye thought. During dinner there had been a background of sound and noise that she had hardly noticed, but which had been an accompaniment to everything they said and did.

The lowing of the cattle, the bleating of the goats, the barking of dogs, the shrill cry of children and always and incessantly the thrumming of a guitar. The sounds had come wafting up through the windows and now with the fall of darkness it appeared to have been intensified.

The music particularly was louder and had a wild gaiety about it.

However, she answered him gravely,

“I too would like to go to bed, señor, and therefore, because you will be busy tomorrow and because I would not wish to trespass upon your hospitality too long, let’s get this matter settled. If you have not brought me here for ransom, what is it that you want?”

“I should not have thought the truth would have eluded you for so long,” El Diablo replied.

“I don’t know what you mean. You obviously require a ransom of some sort, but if it is not money, what is it?”

“Doesn’t your womanly intuition tell you what it is?” El Diablo enquired.