He did not complete the sentence. Barbados whirled, and with a single blow he stretched him senseless.
“Out!” he commanded. “This fray is not to be touched!”
They backed away from him, rushed back to gather near the door. They did not pretend to understand this, but Barbados was chief, and perhaps he knew what he was doing. They saw him turn, knew that he spoke to the fray, but could not make out his words.
“I had no doing in this,” Barbados said. “I assault no fray nor priest! I stopped them in time. Had I not remained outside a moment to watch affairs I would have stopped them before.”
“You are not wholly bad,” Fray Felipe said.
“I am wholly bad, fray—make no mistake about it! But I keep my hands off frailes and priests!”
He whirled around and rushed to the door, shrieking at his men. Only the soft light of the candles glowed in the church.
Fray Felipe took a step forward and looked after them. He turned back toward the altar, a look of thankfulness in his face.
And suddenly that look changed! Misery took its place. Fray Felipe gave a little cry of mingled surprise and pain, and tottered forward. The precious gem-studded goblet was gone!
He sensed at once how it had happened. When they had charged upon him, before Barbados came, one of the pirates had snatched the goblet away.