Ijurra was alone, and I continued to advance to the spot where he was
standing. His back was towards me, for he still fronted in the
direction in which Isolina had galloped off. He had followed her with
his eyes, with a cry of disappointed rage, with a threat of malignant
vengeance.
The sound of his own voice hindered him from hearing mine, and he was
not aware of my presence, when I paused scarcely three feet from where
he stood, and directly behind him.
I held my sword drawn; I could have thrust him in the back, through and
through again, before he could have offered either defence or
resistance. He was completely in my power.
Fortunate was it for him at that moment that I had been bred a
gentleman, else in another instant his lifeless body would have lain at
my feet. A plebeian blade would have made short work with the ruffian,
and I confess that my instincts of fair-play were sorely tried. I had
before me a man who had sought my life--a deadly foe--a deadly foe to
her I loved--a perjured villain--a murderer! With such titles for
himself, he had none to the laws of honour; and I confess that for one
short moment, I felt like ignoring his claim.
'Twas but for a moment: the thought revolted me. Wicked and worthless
as he was, I could not stab him in the back.
I leaned forward, and tapping him upon the shoulder, pronounced his
name.
It was the first intimation he had of my presence; and starting as if
hit by a bullet, he turned face towards me. The flush of anger upon his
cheek suddenly gave place to deadly pallor, and his eyes became set in
that peculiar stare that indicates an apprehension of danger. This he
must have felt keenly, for my determined look and drawn sword--to say
nothing of the surprise by which I had come upon him--were calculated to
produce that effect.
It was the first time we had stood face to face, and I now perceived
that he was a much larger man than myself. But I saw, too, that his eye
quailed, and his lip quivered, at the encounter. I saw that he was
cowed; felt that I was his master.
"You are Rafael Ijurra?" I repeated, as he had not made answer to my
first interrogation.
"_Si, senor_," he answered hesitatingly. "What want you with me?"
"You have some documents there," (he still held the papers in his hand);
"a portion of them belongs to me. I shall trouble you to hand them
over."
"Are you Captain Warfield?" he asked, after a pause, at the same time
pretending to examine the superscription upon the commissary's letter.
I saw that his fingers trembled.
"I am Captain Warfield--you ought to know by this time?"