Part 36 (2/2)

Absolutely, hot tears of mortification, of bitter injury, showed in his glaring eyes. He was but a big boy, after all.

”Our meeting here was entirely by accident,” I answered. ”Mrs. Montoyo had no expectation of seeing me, nor I of seeing her. You're making a fool of yourself.”

He burst, red, quivering, insensate.

”Yu're a liar! Yu're a sneakin', thievin' liar, like all Gentiles. Yu're both o' yu liars. What's she?” And he spoke it, raving with insult. ”But I'll tame her. She'll be s.n.a.t.c.hed from yu an' yore kind. We'll settle naow. Yu're a liar, I say. Yu gonna draw on me? Draw, yu Gentile dog; for if I lay hands on yu once----”

”Look out!” she gasped tensely. But she had spoken late. That cold blood which had kept me in a tremor and a wonderment, awaiting his pistol muzzle, exploded into a seethe of heat almost blinding me. I forgot instructions, I disregarded every movement preliminary to the onset, I remembered only the criminations and recriminations culminating here at last. Bullets were too slow and easy. I did not see his revolver, I saw but the hulk of him and the intolerable sneer of him, and that his flesh was ready to my fingers. And quicker than his hand I was upon him, into him, climbing him, clinging to him, arms binding him, legs twining around his, each ounce of me greedy to crush him down and master him.

The shock drove him backward. Again My Lady screamed shortly; the children screamed. He proved very strong. Swelling and tugging and cursing he broke one grip, but I was fast to him, now with guard against his holstered gun.

We swayed and staggered, grappling hither and thither. I had his arms pinioned once more, to bend him. He spat into my face; and s.h.i.+fting, set his teeth into my shoulder so that they champed like the teeth of a horse, through s.h.i.+rt and hide to the flesh. I raised him; his boots hammered at my s.h.i.+ns, his knee struck me in the stomach and for an instant I sickened.

Now I tripped him; we toppled together, came to the ground with a thump.

Here we churned, while he flung me and still I stuck. The acrid dust of the alkali enveloped us. Again he spat, fetid--I sprawled upon him, smothering his flailing arms; gave him all my weight and strength; smelled the sweat of him, snarled into his snarling face, close beneath mine.

Once he partially freed himself and buffeted me in the mouth with his fist, but I caught him--while struggling, tossed and upheaved, dimly saw that as by a miracle we were surrounded by a ring of people, men and women, their countenances pale, alarmed, intent. Voices sounded in a dull roar.

Presently I had him crucified: his one outstretched arm under my knees, his other arm tethered by my two hands, my body across his chest, while his legs threshed vainly. I looked down into his bulging crooked eyes, glaring back presumably into my eyes, and might draw breath.

”'Nuf? Cry ”Nuf,'” I bade.

”'Nuf! Say ”Nuf,'” echoed the crowd.

He strained again, convulsive; and relaxed.

”'Nuf!” he panted through bared teeth. ”Lemme up, Mister.”

”This settles it?”

”I said ”Nuf,'” he growled.

With quick movement I sprang clear of him, to my feet. He lay for a moment, baleful, and slowly scrambled up. On a sudden, as he faced me, his hand shot downward--I heard the surge and shout of men and women, to the stunning report of his revolver ducked aside, felt my left arm jerk and sting--felt my own gun explode in my hand (and how it came there I did not know)--beheld him spin around and collapse; an astonis.h.i.+ng sight.

CHAPTER XVII

THE TRAIL FORKS

So there I stood, amidst silence, gaping foolishly, breathing hard, my revolver smoking in my fingers and my enemy in a shockingly p.r.o.ne posture at my feet, gradually reddening the white of the torn soil. He was upon his face, his revolver hand outflung. He was harmless. The moment had arrived and pa.s.sed. I was standing here alive, I had killed him.

Then I heard myself babbling.

”Have I killed him? I didn't want to. I tell you, I didn't want to.”

Figures rushed in between. Hands grasped me, impelled me away, through a haze; voices spoke in my ear while I feebly resisted, a warm salty taste in my throat.

”I killed him. I didn't want to kill him. He made me do it. He shot first.”

<script>