“What’s this?” he cries. “By heaven, Captain Alvarez, I think we have met before.”
As the two men confront each other in the moonlight, there is no need of the lantern for each to see the other’s countenance.
An exclamation of surprise and rage escapes Alvarez’ lips, and he struggles in the grasp of the two men who pinion his arms.
“Curse you!” he grits, in a voice choked with passion; “I’d give half my life for five minutes of fair play now!”
“Fair play?” sneers Navarro. “You do not know the meaning of the phrase. You are a thief, a blackguard, and a traitor!”
Alvarez wrenches free by a mighty effort and with a fearful oath hurls himself upon Navarro.
CHAPTER XLIV.
THE METAMORPHOSIS OF DON CARLOS.
“Stand back!” commands Navarro, as his men start forward to the enraged Alvarez, whose fingers have twined about the insurgent leader’s neck. “Back, I say! I can handle this gentleman without assistance.”
Alvarez is as a child in the steely arms of El Terredo. The latter tears the clutching fingers from his throat, sweeps the Spanish captain off his feet and dashes him to the ground.