Сердца трех / Hearts of Three

In vain, also, did her father and brothers protest that Francis was not the man. The Jefe Politico smiled contemptuously and ordered the execution to proceed.

On top the scaffold, standing on the trap, Francis declined the ministrations of the priest, telling him in Spanish that no innocent man being hanged needed intercessions with the next world, but that the men who were doing the hanging were in need of just such intercessions.

They had tied Francis’ legs, and were in the act of tying his arms, with the men who held the noose and the black cap hovering near to put them on him, when the voice of a singer was heard approaching from without; and the song he sang was:

�Back to back against the mainmast,

Held at bay the entire crew… �

Leoncia, almost fainting, recovered at the sound of the voice, and cried out with sharp delight as she descried Henry Morgan entering, thrusting aside the guards at the gate who tried to bar his way.

At sight of him the only one present who suffered chagrin was Torres, which passed unnoticed in the excitement.

The populace was in accord with the Jefe, who shrugged his shoulders and announced that one man was as good as another so long as the hanging went on. And here arose hot contention from the Solano men that Henry was likewise innocent of the murder of Alfaro. But it was Francis, from the scaffold, while his arms and legs were being untied, who shouted through the tumult:

�You tried me! You have not tried him! You cannot hang a man without trial! He must have his trial!’

And when Francis had descended from the scaffold and was shaking Henry’s hand in both his own, the Comisario, with the Jefe at his back, duly arrested Henry Morgan for the murder of Alfaro Solano.

Chapter IV

�We must work quickly that is the one thing sure,’ Francis said to the little conclave of Solanos on the piazza of the Solano hacienda.

�One thing sure! � Leoncia cried out scornfully ceasing from her anguished pacing up and down.

�The one thing sure is that we must save him.’

As she spoke, she shook a passionate finger under Francis’ nose to emphasize her point. Not content, she shook her finger with equal emphasis under the noses of all and sundry of her father and brothers.

�Quick!’ she flamed on. �Of course we must be quick. It is that, or…’ Her voice trailed off into the unvoiceable horror of what would happen to Henry if they were not quick.