"Can't get away from it, can we?" Engle having caught the look in the
two women's eyes, broke off abruptly in what he was saying, and now sat
studying his cigar with frowning eyes. "Man against man, and the whole
county knows it, one employing whatever criminal's tools slip into his
hands, the other fighting fair and in the open. Man against man and in
a death grapple just because they are the men they are, with one backed
up by a hang-dog crowd like Kid Rickard and Antone, and the other
playing virtually a lone hand. What's the end going to be?"
Virginia thought of Ignacio Chavez. He, had he been here, would have
answered:
"In the end there will be the ringing of the bells for a man dead. You
will see! Which one? _Quien sabe_! The bells will ring."
CHAPTER V
IN THE DARKNESS OF THE PATIO
Through the silence of the outer night, as though actually Ignacio
Chavez were prophesying, came billowing the slow beating of the deep
mourning bell. Mrs. Engle sighed; Engle frowned; Virginia sat rigid,
at once disturbed and oppressed.
"How can you stand that terrible bell?" she cried softly. "I should
think that it would drive you mad! How long does he ring it?"
"Once every hour until midnight," answered Engle, his face once more
placid as he withdrew his look from the patio and transferred it to his
cigar.
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