For, by the Lord that hears me! I
swear I will end this jest of yours in a more bitter earnest than you
prophesied. Look; I have worn this since the night you began the
conflict, which has ended in defeat to me, as it shall to you. I do not
war with women, but you shall have one man's blood upon your soul, for I
will goad that tame boy to rebellion by flinging this in his face and
taunting him with a perfidy blacker than my own. Will that rouse him to
forget your commands and answer like a man?"
"Yes!"
The word rang through the air sharp and short as a pistol shot, a
slender brown hand wrenched the glove away, and Manuel came between
them. Wild with fear, Mrs. Redmond clung to him. Pauline sprang before
him, and for a moment the two faced each other, with a year's smoldering
jealousy and hate blazing in fiery eyes, trembling in clenched hands,
and surging through set teeth in defiant speech.
"This is the gentleman who gambles his friend to desperation, and skulks
behind a woman, like the coward he is," sneered Gilbert.
"Traitor and swindler, you lie!" shouted Manuel, and, flinging his wife
behind him, he sent the glove, with a stinging blow, full in his
opponent's face.
Then the wild beast that lurks in every strong man's blood leaped up in
Gilbert Redmond's, as, with a single gesture of his sinewy right arm he
swept Manuel to the verge of the narrow ledge, saw him hang poised there
one awful instant, struggling to save the living weight that weighed him
down, heard a heavy plunge into the black pool below, and felt that
thrill of horrible delight which comes to murderers alone.
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