"Come, come!" exclaimed the Ranchero, impatiently. "Are you going to
answer my question?"

"I don't know whether I am or not," replied Frank. "Don't be in such a
hurry. Can't you give me time to think about it?"

"You have had time enough already," growled Pierre. "But I'll give you
two minutes more, and while you are thinking the matter over, you can
bear one thing in mind: and that is, if you don't tell me where that
office key is, you'll never see daylight again."

The expression on Pierre's countenance told Frank that the villain meant
all he said.

Frank leaned his head against the wall, closed his eyes, and made use of
those two minutes in trying to conjure up some plan to defeat the
robber. He had not the slightest intention of allowing him to put his
hands on that money if it were possible for him to prevent it, and he
was wondering if he could not make use of a little strategy. If he could
invent some excuse to get Pierre out of the room for a few moments, he
was sure that he could release his hands. Would it not be a good plan to
tell him where he had hidden the key, and while Pierre was in the office
searching for the gold, free himself from his bonds, and seize his
rifle, and make the villain a prisoner? Wouldn't it be a glorious
exploit, one of which he could be justly proud, if he could save the
twelve thousand dollars, and capture the Ranchero besides? Frank
thought it would, and determined to try it.

"Pierre," said he, "if I tell you where that key is, what will you do?"