The big man brought the drinks, and having put one on the table of
Donnegan, he was directed to take the other to Landis.
"It's really good stuff," said Donnegan. "I'm not an expert on these
matters; but I like the taste. Will you try it?"
It seemed that Landis dared not trust himself to speech. As though a
vast and deadly hatred were gathered in him, and he feared lest it
should escape in words the first time he parted his teeth.
He took the glass of liqueur and slowly poured it upon the floor. From
the crowd there was a deep murmur of disapproval. And Landis, feeling
that he had advanced the wrong foot in the matter, glowered scornfully
about him and then stared once more at Donnegan.
"Just as you please," said Donnegan, sipping his glass. "But remember
this, my young friend, that a fool is a fool, drunk or sober."
Landis showed his teeth, but made no other answer. And Donnegan
anxiously flashed a glance at the clock. He still had three minutes.
Three minutes in which he must reduce this stalwart fellow to a
trembling, nervous wreck. Otherwise, he must shoot to kill, or else sit
there and become a certain sacrifice for the sake of Lou Macon. Yet he
controlled the muscles of his face and was still able to smile as he
turned again to Landis.
"Three minutes left," he said. "Three minutes for you to compose
yourself, Landis. Think of it, man! All the good life behind you. Have
you nothing to remember? Nothing to soften your mind? Why die, Landis,
with a curse in your heart and a scowl on your lips?"
Once more Landis stirred his lips; but there was only the flash of his
teeth; he maintained his resolute silence.
"Ah," murmured Donnegan, "I am sorry to see this. And before all your
admirers, Landis. Before all your friends. Look at them scattered there
under the lights and in the shadows. No farewell word for them? Nothing
kindly to say? Are you going to leave them without a syllable of
goodfellowship?"
"Confound you!" muttered Landis.
There was another hum from the crowd; it was partly wonder, partly
anger. Plainly they were not pleased with Jack Landis on this day.
Donnegan shook his head sadly.
"I hoped," he said, "that I could teach you how to die. But I fail. And
yet you should be grateful to me for one thing, Jack. I have kept you
from being a murderer in cold blood. I kept you from killing a
defenseless man as you intended to do when you walked up to me a moment
ago."
He smiled genially in mockery, and there was a scowl on the face of
Landis.
"Two minutes," said Donnegan.
Leaning back in his chair, he yawned. For a whole minute he did not
stir.
"One minute?" he murmured inquisitively.
And there was a convulsive shudder through the limbs of Landis. It was
the first sign that he was breaking down under the strain. There
remained only one minute in which to reduce him to a nervous wreck!
The strain was telling in other places. Donnegan turned and saw in the
shadow and about the edges of the room a host of drawn, tense faces and
burning eyes. Never while they lived would they forget that scene.
"And now that the time is close," said Donnegan, "I must look to my
gun."
He made a gesture; how it was, no one was swift enough of eye to tell,
but a gun appeared in his hand. At the flash of it, Landis' weapon
leaped up to the mark and his face convulsed. But Donnegan calmly spun
the cylinder of his revolver and held it toward Landis, dangling from
his forefinger under the guard.
"You see?" he said to Landis. "Clean as a whistle, and easy as a girl's
smile. I hate a stiff action, Jack."
And Landis slowly allowed the muzzle of his own gun to sink. For the
first time his eyes left the eyes of Donnegan, and sinking, inch by
inch, stared fascinated at the gun in the hand of the enemy.
"Thirty seconds," said Donnegan by way of conversation.
Landis jerked up his head and his eyes once more met the eyes of
Donnegan, but this time they were wide, and the pointed glance of
Donnegan sank into them. The lips of Landis parted. His tongue
tremblingly moistened them.
"Keep your nerve," said Donnegan in an undertone.
"You hound!" gasped Landis.
"I knew it," said Donnegan sadly. "You'll die with a curse on your
lips."