Coronado asked himself in horror whether the man had understood the words "Go on" as a command for murder.

He was thinking very fast; he was thinking as fast as he rode.

Once a terrible temptation came upon him: he might let the fatal shot be fired; then he might fire another.

Thus he would get rid of Thurstane, and at the same time have the air of avenging him, while ridding himself of his dangerous bravo.

But he rejected this plan almost as soon as he thought of it.