Lopez smiled again. "You will not shoot."
"I will--if I must!"
"Oh, ze wolf in ze sheep's overcoat!" the bandit smirked.
"I will! I warn you!"
"Gil!" cried Lucia, in mortal terror.
"It's your life or his, and I'm damned if it's yours! I'll give you just
three seconds to get out of here! Now," and there was a fire in his eyes
that could deceive no one, "you hear me? One--two ..."
"Don't shoot!" cried the bandit. And he laughed outright, almost doubling
up with mirth.
"It was a trick?" Gilbert asked, beginning to see light.
"_Si._ Ah, my frand, I 'ave make ze man from you at last! Fine man what
would kill for 'is woman!" He patted him on the shoulder.
Gilbert looked at him seriously, and the terrible realization came to him.
"I _would_ have killed you! Yes, I _would_ have killed you--and you are my
friend!"
Lopez saw how earnest he was. "I know. And it makes me very 'appy. For at
last you 'ave became ze man of intelligence--like me. You could not leave
'er go now, could you?"
Gilbert looked at the relieved Lucia. "No!" he cried.
"You not question ze what you call Destiny, do you?" Lopez said.
"No."
"Zen for you I am Destiny, to beat 'ell!" He walked toward the door.
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