"Rafael Ijurra, by the eternal God!"
This awful and emphatic recognition produced its effect. I saw that
Ijurra knew the man who addressed him. His dark countenance turned
suddenly pale, and then became mottled with livid spots, while his eyes
scintillated, and rolled about in the unsteady glances of terror. He
made no reply beyond the ejaculation "Demonio!" which seemed
involuntarily to escape him. He appeared unable to reply; surprise and
fright held him spell-bound and speechless!
"Traitor! villain! murderer!" shrieked Holingsworth, "we've met at last;
now for a squaring of our accounts!" and in the next instant the muzzle
of his rifle was pointing to the notch in the parapet--pointing to the
face of Ijurra!
"Hold, Holingsworth!--hold!" cried I, pressing my heel deeply into my
horse's flanks, and dashing forward.
Though my steed sprang instantly to the spur, and as quickly I caught
the lieutenant's arm, I was too late to arrest the shot. I spoiled his
aim, however; and the bullet, instead of passing through the brain of
Rafael Ijurra, as it would certainly have done, glanced upon the mortar
of the parapet, sending a cloud of lime-dust into his face.
Up to that moment the Mexican had made no attempt to escape beyond the
aim of his antagonist. Terror must have glued him to the spot. It was
only when the report of the rifle, and the blinding mortar broke the
spell, that he was able to turn and fly. When the dust cleared away,
his head was no longer above the wall.