a yard farther away you bring your fate upon your
own head. I, Taltavull, swear it."

I saw Mrs. Cromwell lean over and cover the blind man's body with her
own. Sadi also made a movement, apparently for the same purpose. But
Pether waved them both back. He slipped a hand into his breast-pocket,
and brought out the little mahogany case.

"Here it is, Senor Taltavull. You'll share the contents with your two
friends?"

"Yes," exclaimed the old man, stretching out his bony hands; "I have
promised."

"Then there you are, Senor Taltavull," said the other quietly. He
deliberately drew back the shutter, exposed the yellowy-green film to
the full sun-glare, and flung it from him with a sideways jerk.

It flew circling to the anarchist's feet; and for a moment we were all
so paralyzed with the action that no one spoke or moved. Sooner than
share or surrender, the man had deliberately destroyed the Recipe for
good and all.

The anarchist was first to act. Slowly I saw him raise his weapon, and
as if fascinated I could not move to interrupt him. With a leathery
grin of cruelty he had brought it to bear, and in another moment there
would have been murder done. But at that instant a flash of something
brown shot by, and Taltavull and his mount were bowled over amongst the
palmettos.

A cavalry reinforcement had arrived. Haigh had cut loose another of the
mules, and had deliberately ridden the old man down.

"It's an old polo trick," said he, with a pleased grin. "Useful when a
man persistently crosses you; quite simple when you know
it.--Good-afternoon, Mrs. Cromwell.--Afternoon, Juggins, dear boy. Let
me congratulate you on drawing this game. I thought we were going to
gather in the beans.--Eh, what's that?"

Taltavull was sitting up amongst the scrubs, and was shaking a
trembling fist at the boat and snarling out the word "iconoclast."

"'Iconoclast' indeed. Faith, that's the pot libelling the kettle most
unjustly.--I say, Cospatric, just take that melodramatic old fool's gun
away from him, and wring his neck if he won't behave himself.--My dear
Mrs. Cromwell, I must really apologize for our companion. I assure you
that nothing but stress of circumstances could have driven us into such
dubious society. Well, the fun's all over now, and I hope you and Mr.
Pether bear no ill-will. I'm sure Cospatric and I harbour no grudge."

Mrs. Cromwell gave an order, the boat backed in to the shingle, and we
found ourselves shaking