Myra found herself strangely calm, felt as if she had run through the
whole gamut of emotions and exhausted them all.

"Tony, is it true you told Don Carlos that you were willing to go and
leave me here at the mercy of this outlaw, who professes to be
passionately in love with me?" she asked, scarcely recognising her own
voice. "Is it true?"

"True? Er--er--why, of course not," answered Standish, nervously
fingering his little sandy moustache. "I mean to say--er--what exactly
did Don Carlos tell you?"

"That you are prepared to leave me here, knowing that El Diablo Cojuelo
will force me to become his wife, and accept your own freedom rather
than run the risk of punishment," said Myra. "You are prepared to
renounce me, Tony?"

"No, no, nothing of the sort!" exclaimed Tony, his face flushing
duskily. "Nothing of the sort! I distinctly told Don Carlos that
nothing would induce me to surrender you to Cojuelo. Myra, darling,
you know I would never think of doing such a thing."

"So you assert that Don Carlos lied?" demanded Cojuelo sternly. "You
did not tell him you would accept your freedom and leave the señorita
to me if I refrained from flogging you and branding you? Will you
swear that on oath--on your sacred word of honour as an English
gentleman?"