he
cloth, lowering his head to do so. Ordonez stabbed between the horns at
the spot in the neck. The bull jerked his head up. The stab had missed.
Then the bull watched the sword. When Ordonez moved the cloth on the
ground, the bull forgot the sword and lowered his head to smell the
cloth. Again Ordonez stabbed, and again he failed. He tried many times.
It was stupid. And John Harned said nothing. At last a stab went home,
and the bull fell to the sand, dead immediately, and the mules were made
fast and he was dragged out.

"The Gringos say it is a cruel sport--no?" said Luis Cervallos. "That it
is not humane. That it is bad for the bull. No?"

"No," said John Harned. "The bull does not count for much. It is bad for
those that look on. It is degrading to those that look on. It teaches
them to delight in animal suffering. It is cowardly for five men to
fight one stupid bull. Therefore those that look on learn to be cowards.
The bull dies, but those that look on live and the lesson is learned.
The bravery of men is not nourished by scenes of cowardice."

Maria Valenzuela said nothing. Neither did she look at him. But she
heard every word and her cheeks were white with anger. She looked out
across the ring and fanned herself, but I saw that her hand trembled.
Nor did John Harned look at her. He went on as though she were not
there. He, too, was angry, coldly angry.

"It is the cowardly sport of a cowardly people," he said.

"Ah," said Luis Cervallos softly, "you think you understand us."

"I understand now the Spanish Inquisition," said John Harned. "It must
have been more delightful than bull-fighting."

Luis Cervallos smiled but said nothing. He glanced at Maria Valenzuela,
and knew that the bull-fight in the box was won. Never would she have
further to do with the Gringo who spoke such words. But neither Luis
Cervallos nor I was prepared for the outcome of the day. I fear we do
not understand the Gringos. How were we to know that John Harned, who
was so coldly angry, should go suddenly mad! But mad he did go, as you
shall see. The bull did not count for much--he said so himself. Then why
should the horse count for so much? That I cannot understand. The mind
of John Harned lacked logic. That is the only explanation.

"It is not usual to have horses in the bull-ring at Quito," said Luis
Cervallos, looking up from the program. "In Spain they always have them.
But to-day, by special permission we shall have them. Wh