"
The bandit turned, amazed. "What ze matter? Are you not satisfied? You all
what you say: zit--zot--zet!" He pinched his fingers, and made a funny
little noise.
"I can't think," said Gilbert, sitting down, one hand on his forehead.
"It's all so strange, so confusing to me. The world seems to be rocking
beneath my feet. What does it all mean--this life we live for so brief a
time? What does anything mean?"
Lopez came over to him and put his hand on his shoulder affectionately.
"You Americanos so queer," he said, "For why you waste time thinking? Are
you not rich? 'Ave you not ze beautiful lady to love like 'ell yourself
personal?"
Gilbert jumped up. He thought he would go mad if this sort of thing kept
up. "Good God, man!" he cried. "After what you've done, you can talk like
that?"
"What have I done?" inquired the bandit, blandly. "Well, _what_ I done?"
Gilbert looked at him in amazement. "You killed him! That's all."
Lopez smiled. "Sure!" He let the word loiter on his tongue. He pulled it
out like so much molasses candy. "I killed him--sure. Was in ze way. What
else could I do?"
"You've put a barrier between us. We're of a different brand, a different
calibre.
Pages:
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200