ded Rodman between gasping breaths, "why in hell don't
you say something?"

Saxon began to feel the mastery of the stronger man over the weaker,
despite the fact that the weaker supplemented his inferiority with a
weapon.

"It appears to me," came the answer, and it was the first time Rodman
had heard the voice, now almost velvety, "it appears to me that there
isn't very much for me to say. You seem to be in the best position to
do the talking."

"Yes, damn you!" accused the other, excitedly. "You are always the
same--always making the big pyrotechnic display! You have grandstanded
and posed as the debonair adventurer, until it's come to be second
nature. That won't help now!" The thin man's braggadocio changed
suddenly to something like a whine.

"You know I'm frightened, and you're throwing a bluff. You're a fool
not to realize that it's because I'm so frightened that I am capable
of killing you. I've craned my neck around every corner, and jumped at
every shadow since that day--always watching for you. Now, I'm going
to end it. I see your plan as if it were printed on a glass pane.
You've discovered my doings, and, if you left here alive, you'd inform
the government."

Here, at least, Saxon could speak, and speak truthfully.

"I don't know anything, or care anything, about your plans," he
retorted, curtly.

"That's a damned lie!" almost shrieked the other man. "It's just your
style. It's just your infernal chicanery. I wrote you that letter in
good faith, and you tracked me. You found out where I was and what I
was doing. How you learned it, God knows, but I suppose it's still
easy for you to get into the confidence of the _juntas_. The moment I
saw you on the boat, the whole thing flashed on me. It was your fine
Italian brand of work to come down on the very steamer that carried my
guns--to come ashore just at the psychological moment, and turn me
over to the authorities on the exact verge of my success! Your brand
of humor saw irony in that--in giving me the same sort of death you
escaped. But it's too late. Vegas has the guns in spite of you!
There'll be a new president in the palace within three days." The
man's voice became almost triumphant. He was breathing more normally
once again, as his courage gained its second wind.

Saxon was fencing for time. Incidentally, he was learning profusely
about the revolution of to-morrow, but nothing of the revolution of
yesterday.

"I neither know, nor want to k