The Duel of Hearts — Cleo M. Stephens

A hairpin turn on a tortuous mountain road in Mexico, a troop of burros, and a wrecked car combine to leave lovely, blond photographer-journalist Sandy Scott stranded -- miles from any sign of civilization. As she begins the long trek south to Mexico City, her journey is interrupted again this time by the surprise appearance of a tall, dark--and somehow frightening--stranger. Still, at his invitation, she follows him to a hidden village where she soon discovers her instinctive feeling of menace is only too justified, but Sandy is not a girl to run away from danger, and no one knows this better than rugged Russ Benton, who is in Mexico on an undercover Government assignment that eventually puts him on a collision course with a desperate gang of criminals and headstrong Sandra Scott.

Hero: Russ Benton
Heroine: Sandra (Sandy) Scott