pleasant
friendship and a thrilling flirtation, eh? I shall never cease to
regret that Fate interrupted at such an interesting moment. Adios!
Adios!" He bowed formally, in turn to Dave and to the priest, then
resumed his pacing, with his hands at his back and his brow furrowed as
if in a struggle with affairs of greater moment than this.

But when he heard the outside door creak shut behind them his
indifference vanished and he halted with head turned in an effort to
catch the last sounds of their departure. His face was like tallow now,
his lips were drawn back from his teeth as if in supreme agony. A
moment and the hoofbeats had died away. Then Longorio slipped his leash.

He uttered a cry--a hoarse, half-strangled shriek that tore his throat.
He plucked the collar from his neck as if it choked him; he beat his
breast. Seizing whatever article his eye fell upon, he tore and crushed
it; he swept the table clean of its queer Spanish bric-a-brac, and
trampled the litter under his heels. Spying a painting of a saint upon
the wall, he ran to it, ripped it from its nail, and, raising it over
his head, smashed frame and glass, cursing all saints, all priests, and
churchly people. Havoc followed him as he raged about the place
wreaking his fury upon inanimate objects. When he had well-nigh wrecked
the contents of the room, and when his first paroxysm had spent its
violence, he hurled himself into a chair, writhing in agony. He bit his
wrists, he pounded his fists, he kicked; finally he sprawled full
length upon the floor, clawing at the cool, smooth tiles until his
nails bled.

"Christ! O Christ!" he screamed.

The sound of his blasphemies reached the little group of soldiers who
had lingered curiously outside, and they listened open-mouthed. One by
one they crossed themselves and stole away into the darkness, muttering.

XXXI

A SPANISH WILL

With a singing heart Alaire rode through the night at her husband's
side. The strain of the last few hours had been so intense, the relief
at her deliverance so keen, that now she felt curiously weak, and she
kept close to Dave, comforted by his nearness and secure in the
knowledge of his strength.

Although he was unusually taciturn and rode with his chin upon his
breast, she attributed his silence to fatigue. Now and then, therefore,
she spurred to his side and spoke softly, caressingly. At such times he
reached for her hand and clung to it.

Dave was indeed weary;