Julio was the only obstacle, and Julio, having been several times thwarted in his designs for a personal vengeance upon this man who was so closely associated with his past could not be easily placated.
A pretty woman might have considerable influence over him under ordinary conditions, but just now he wanted blood and was bound to have his desires fulfilled.
Accordingly he brushed the girl aside in an ugly manner that betrayed his nasty temper—brushed her away as carelessly as one might dispose of a fly that persisted in annoying the early morning nap of a sybarite.
Then he gave tongue, denouncing the other in unmeasured terms as a Yankee spy come to wreck their forts, to betray the city, to do anything and everything that was dreadful in the eyes of good loyal Spaniards.
It made quite a striking scene, with the picturesque Julio in his dashing garb thus violently shouting his private opinion of Yankees in general and the one before them in particular, while the beautiful daughter of Morro's governor was clinging to his gesticulating arm and endeavoring to overcome his mad language, the crowd meanwhile beginning to shout answering cries that announced their quick grasp of the situation.
Roderic would not soon forget that picture, if he lived through the adventure.
Again he owed much to that love of fair play predominating in the breast of gentle woman.
It had however, gone beyond any power on her part to prevent an explosion.
If he escaped with a whole skin it must be through his own exertions.
Fortunately he was able to grasp the situation and bring order out of seeming chaos.