l I pass over yours, Don Felipe Ramirez, if
you persist in standing in my way."

For the first time he saw her in her true light--the Amazon, the woman
who had been trained to fight as men fight, and who had fought shoulder
to shoulder with men. He was silent. Never had she appeared so
beautiful, so terrible, so alluring and irresistible as during her
recital. The hour had come; the circle of death had closed about them,
and he knew now for a certainty that it meant either his life or hers;
that there was no longer any hope of a reconciliation, no longer room
for them both in this life.

"Do you imagine that I fear the threats of a woman?" he said at last, in
the same sneering tone as before, in which she, too, read his
unmistakable answer.

"You have been warned," she answered quietly, and giving him a last
searching look, she turned and left him abruptly. Had ever mortal drunk
deeper of the cup of humiliation than he? The sound of her footsteps and
tinkle of her spurs died away along the pathway as she disappeared
around the corner of the house. He noted that she carried herself as
erect as ever; every movement bespoke the unconquerable pride of her
race. God! how he hated her! What would he not give to break that
pride--that pride which seemed to enable her to surmount every obstacle.
It was not enough to kill Captain Forest. No, she must be broken
completely, humiliated in the eyes of the world, humbled to the dust as
he had been humbled; nothing short of that could satisfy him now. But
how, how was her ruin to be accomplished? he asked himself as he paced
back and forth, almost suffocating with rage. Suddenly an idea flashed
through his mind, causing him to stop short.

"Ah!" he cried aloud, "why did she dance; why has she concealed her
motive so carefully from the world? It must be the clew to some mystery
in her life! God! if I could but learn the reason--"

"What would Don Felipe Ramirez give to know?" came a voice from behind
him, causing him to start and turn around just in time to see Juan
emerge from the lilac bushes.

"Juan Ramon!" he exclaimed.

"Aye, _Caballero_!" replied Juan lightly, raising his _sombrero_ as he
advanced.

"What do you know?" asked Felipe, half contemptuously, regarding him
with keen, searching eyes.

"Don't worry about what I know; leave that to me for the present,"
answered Juan, his peculiarly cold smile lighting up his face. "But what
will you give to know, Don Felipe Ra