"Who's calling that woman?" demanded Valencia immediately, glaring at the group of gamblers.
"I," answered El Pastiri. "I want Paloma over here."
"Ah!… You? Well, there's nothing doing," declared Valencia.
"I said I want Paloma over here," repeated Pastiri, without looking at the bully.
The latter pretended not to have heard. The card-sharper, provoked by this discourtesy, got up and, slapping Valencia's sleeve with the back of his hand, he repeated his words, dwelling upon every syllable:
"I said that I wanted Paloma, and that these friends of mine want to talk with the lady."
"And I tell you that there's nothing doing," answered the other.
"Those gentlemen want to talk with her."
"All right…. Then let them ask my permission."
Pastiri thrust his face into the bully's, and looking him straight in the eye, croaked: