Phil, trying to draw the Mexican out, one day as to the cause of this enemy, finally drove Gomez to a pitch of excitement where he momentarily forgot caution.
“Why I hate this man, this dog, this devil,” he cried, turning upon Phil, his lips pulled back from his strong, white teeth like a snarling animal, “You ask that, Americano? Then I, Antonio Gomez, son of the great Pedro Gomez, I will tell you why it is I hate. Listen, Americano.”
He came closer to Phil, his strong hands clenched fiercely and Phil experienced something of the same thrill he would have felt if, when baiting a wild animal, he had succeeded in rousing it to the height of its jungle fury. For Antonio Gomez was roused.
“You ask me why I hate Espato,” he repeated, his voice tense, “Then, thees is why. My father Pedro Gomez, one of the mos’ great man ever live, he serve’ under Espato for many year’. My father, he love the chase, he love get much rich loot, he love to feast and drink and make merry. My father, he great man, he love the life of the woods, the so great excitement. But my father he also have the great heart. He love not the torture.”
Antonio paused and Phil saw that there were tears in his eyes. Were they tears of rage?
“He make the big talk with Espato, sometimes,” the man continued, half turned from Phil, his hands still clenched fiercely. “He tell him no murder, no torture prisoners. He say, take prisoners, yes, demand the ransom, yes—that is fair, that is just, my father say. But when the ransom come, then let go the prisoner. That, also is fair. So my father say.”
“Do you mean to say,” Phil demanded excitedly, “that Espato will not release the prisoner once he has received the ransom?”
Tony Gomez turned upon him a look full of scorn for his innocence.
“Sometime he do,” he said, “and sometime he do not. When he have for the prisoner great hatred, when the prisoner have been so unfortunate as to have angered the so great Espato, then he keep the ransom and the prisoner, also.”
Phil whistled his surprise. It was hard to believe that such despicable conduct was possible even on the part of a Mexican bandit. Tony went on, speaking rapidly, as though he had not noticed the interruption.