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The Mexican did not dare turn his back on the raving man. Again he started away, but this time he moved backward, keeping his eyes on Ridgeway, who came creeping after him, crouching a little and seeming ready to spring. Suddenly Ridgeway leaped. His arms shot out and his fingers closed on Del Norte's neck. "I must kill you!" he yelled. "I am the one chosen to do it! Your time has come!"
Having settled on this, he sent a message to Saranac Lake, stating his charges against Porfias del Norte's band of desperadoes, and asking that the warrant be drawn up and brought to him at the station as he was passing through. He also gave instructions that officers should be on hand to immediately take up the work of running the gang down.
The memory of his own desperation and distress on learning that Inza Burrage had fallen into the power of Del Norte caused him to twist and turn on the bed. Only for O'Toole, he might have been baffled in following Inza's captors. Through the acquaintance and friendship of O'Toole with Red Ben, Del Norte's Indian guide, had come the rescue of Inza.
It's arrmed Oi am to th' tathe!" It was the voice of Pat O'Toole, an Irishman who had been one of Del Norte's gang, but out of gratitude, had saved Frank's life and had been actively concerned in the rescue of Old Gripper. "O'Toole!" cried Frank; "why the dickens have you locked yourself up this way?" "Is it you, Misther Merriwell?" cried O'Toole, joyously.
If they escape from the officers, I expect we'll hear in a few days how Del Norte's body was carried out of the mountains and expressed to friends somewhere." "They may not dare do that," said Frank. "They may bury him here in the mountains, rather than take any chances of being captured themselves. At any rate, it's foolish for you to worry, O'Toole.
The torch fell to the floor and lay there, spluttering and flaring. By this dim and flickering light a fearful struggle took place. Ridgeway had obtained a powerful clasp on Del Norte's throat, and the Mexican could not hurl him off. They staggered against the wall, which seemed to fling them off. They swayed from side to side, once staggering over the spot where the torch lay.
Del Norte was advancing, the moonlight showing a deadly look of hatred on his face. Merry dropped his rifle and flung off his coat in a twinkling. Stooping, he caught up Red Ben's knife just as his foe rushed upon him. With a quick, sidestepping movement, Merry flung up his hand and deftly parried the blow of Del Norte's blade, steel clashing against steel.
"The grant to old Guerrero, Porfias del Norte's grandfather, was made by President Pedraza in 1832. Am I not right?" "What if you are?" "It means a great deal to Mr. Merriwell, as I will demonstrate. I have lately learned that there was an earlier claimant to that same territory. The first Mexican republic was organized in October, 1824, with General Don Felix Fernando Victoria as president.
Once Del Norte uttered an exclamation of satisfaction as he struck, but Merry leaped away and the keen blade of Del Norte's knife simply cut a long slit in his shirt front. "Near it that time, gringo dog!" panted the Mexican. "A miss is as good as a mile," retorted Frank. As the blades clashed together again Frank's knuckles were slightly cut and the blood flowed freely.
To his vexation he found it was impossible to properly swear out a warrant for the arrest of Del Norte's companions without making the journey to Saranac Lake. "I'll do that the first thing in the morning," he said. In the morning, however, he found himself stiff and lame, and he was induced to delay until noon. During the forenoon he decided to return without further delay to New York.
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