tavern. He said in his companion's ear:

"I'll be waiting for you in front of San Antonio de la Florida."

"Suits _me_!"

And, a few minutes later, they met at the indicated spot.

"Let's go where nobody can see us," said the engineer.

"I'll go anywhere you like," answered Berlanga. "Lead the way!"

They crossed the river and came to the little fields out at Fuente de la
Teja. The shadows were thicker there, under the trees. At a
likely-looking spot the two men stopped. Zureda peered all about him.
His eyes, used to penetrating dark horizons, seemed to grow calm. The
two men were all alone.

"I've brought you here," said the engineer, "either to kill you or have
you kill me."

Berlanga was pretty tipsy. Brave in his cups, he peered closely at the
other. He kept his hands in the pockets of his coat. His brow was
frowning; his chin was thrust out and aggressive. He had already guessed
what Zureda was going to ask him, and the idea of being catechized
revolted his pride.

"It looks to me," he swaggered, "like you and I were going to have a few
words."

And immediately he added, as if he could read the thought of Zureda:

"They've been telling you I'm thick with Rafaela, and you're after the
facts."

"Yes, that's it," answered the engineer.

"Well, they aren't lying. What's the use of lying? It's so, all right."

Then he held his peace and looked at Zureda. The engineer's eyes were
usually big and black, but now by some strange miracle of rage they had
become small and red. Neither man made any further speech. There was no
need of any. All the words they might have hurled at each other would
have been futile. Zureda recoiled a few steps and unsheathed his knife.
The silversmith snicked open a big pocket blade.

They fell violently on each other. It was a prehistoric battle, body to
body, savage, silent. Manolo was killed. He fell on his back, his face
white, his mouth twisted in an unforgettable grimace of pain and hate.

The engineer ran away and was already crossing the bridge, when a woman
who had been following him at a short distance began to cry:

"Catch him! Catch him! He's just killed a man!"

A couple of policemen, at the door of an inn, stopped Zureda. They
arrested him and handcuffed him. He made no resistance.

Rafaela went to see him in jail. The engineer, because of his love for
her and for the boy, received her with affection. He assured her he had
got into a fight with Manolo over a c