lass, which might give
zest to words spoken across it, but would be most sharp to the touch.

"I will wear my spurs around my wrists, if you say, tie roses in the
fringe of my chaps, bind my hat with a big red silk bandanna, and put
streamers on P.D.'s bits!"

"That is too enticing for refusal," she answered, playfully. "I
particularly want to hear the dinosaur roar."

They had come to the opening of the Ewold hedge, and they paused to
consider arrangements. There was no one in sight on the street except Jim
Galway, who was approaching at some distance.

"Shall we start in the morning and have luncheon at the foot of the
range?" suggested Jack.

She favored an early afternoon start; he argued for his point of view,
and in their preoccupation with the passage of arms they did not notice
Pedro Nogales slipping along beside the hedge with soft steps, his hand
under his jacket. A gleam out of the bosom of Pedro's jacket, a cry from
Mary, and a knife flashed upward and drove toward Jack's neck.

Jack had seemed oblivious of his surroundings, his gaze centered on Mary.
Yet he was able to duck backward so that the blade only slit open his
shirt as Pedro, with the misdirected force of his blow, lunged past its
object. Mary saw that face which had been laughing into hers, which had
been so close to hers in its persistent smile of persuasion, struck white
and rigid and a glint like that of the blade itself in the eyes. In a
breath Jack had become another being of incarnate, unthinking physical
power and swiftness. One hand seized Pedro's wrist, the other his upper
arm, and Mary heard the metallic click of the knife as it struck the
earth and the sickening sound of the bone of Pedro's forearm cracking.
She saw Pedro's eyes bursting from their sockets in pain and fear; she
saw Jack's still profile of unyielding will and the set muscles of his
neck and the knitting muscles of his forearm driving Pedro over against
the hedge, as if bent on breaking the Mexican's back in two, and she
waited in frozen apprehension to hear another bone crack, even expecting
Pedro's death cry.

"The devil is out of Senor Don't Care!" It was the voice of Ignacio, who
had come around the house in time to witness the scene.

"What fearful strength! You will kill him!" It was the voice of the Doge,
from the porch.

"Yes, please stop!" Mary pleaded.

Suddenly, at the sound of her cry, Jack released his hold. The strong
column of his neck became ap