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〃Tell me； were you planning to elope with one of the girls there？〃
〃The andante is joking。 One does not elope with…〃
〃The andante is not joking；〃 Robles assured him icily。 〃Why then were you seen to have a riata * ＇A looped rope。 A lasso。＇ coiled about your waist the night you visited the house of Doсa Sara？〃
Cardozo's jaw fluctuated up and down； but all that came from his mouth were two meaningless pronouns。 〃I…I…〃
But Robles hadn't waited。 He was asking them faster now。 〃Why then did you have pieces of raw meat in a bag with you the night you were at the cantina？ Whom were you expecting to feed？ Yourself？〃
〃No； I…I…〃
〃And what became of that raw meat？ You had it no longer when you boarded the morning bus for Las Gruces。 And what became of the riata？ You had that no longer； either； when you made the return trip。〃
〃The riata…somebody in the house of Doсa Sara must have stolen it…they do that in those places； anything of any value。 The meat…maybe some dog or cat came along while I was sleeping on the sidewalk outside the cantina…〃
〃And what did you bring those things along for？ Was it because you had something staked Out； somewhere here in the city； that you wished to lead about with you for a while？ Was it？ Contesta！ ＇Answer！＇〃 His voice exploded。 〃Was it？〃
Manning thought he had never before seen such a look of dawning fear and horror on anyone's face as began to peer out on Cardozo's。 〃I…I…oh； wait； no； don't think that！ I did； I admit it； I did hope to save Negrote alive。 I thought perhaps I might e across him just by chance； throw him the meat； sling the riata over him； find some way of getting him back to the estancia with me。 It was just an idle impulse； a stupid thought that came to me… But not what you mean！ Not what you are trying to say！〃 He looked from face to face； pleadingly。 〃Seсores； what do you want with me？ I know； I have known for hours past。 I have not said so； you have not said so either。 I have been in town other nights； besides the three you mention。 Why don't you speak of them？〃
〃Very well；〃 Robles said acmodatingly； 〃we shall。〃 He consulted something。 〃You were in on the twentieth of May； por ejemplo。〃
〃Yes； yes！〃 Cardozo nodded almost avidly。
〃Did you have a riata with you that night？ Raw meat that night？〃
The back of answer was the answer。
〃You were in on the thirty…first。 Did you then； either？〃
Cardozo shivered a little； and his head went over； as though he were peering closely at something out before his feet。
〃Only on the nights on which something happened in this city did you e provided with the rather curious articles we have mentioned。 Not on the others。〃
The man in the middle of all of them leaped to his feet suddenly。 Restraining hands were immediately laid on him； but he stood there erect； facing his tormentors。 Even though he was shivering spasmodically； there was a sort of innate dignity pulsing from him。 Even Manning； the outlander； could feel it。 For a moment it made of them； not policemen around a suspect； just men around another man。 〃I have killed； yes。 I spent two years in jail for it； back in my native tierra。 It was over a woman； any man would have killed。 But not this way！ One kills in revenge； to right a wrong。 How can one be revenged on or wronged by individuals one did not even know existed； one never saw in all his life before？ Or one kills to rob。 At beast some do。 What other reason is there to kill？〃
Manning had taken a small file out of his pocket； he was shaping a thumbnail with it while' he lounged indolently back against the door。 〃One sometimes kills for the love of it；〃 he remarked unexpectedly。
Their heads all turned to look around at him。 He； in turn； had taken his eyes off the file for a moment。 Something went wrong。 He started violently； seized the fleshy bulge at the bottom of his thumb； bent over it； swearing softly in English。 The file dropped with a plink。
He came forward into the bight； holding the self…inflicted wound； as if to examine it better。 Yet he went on pleting the remark he had made just before the accident happened。 〃For the love of it； for its own sake； because they like the sight of blood。 Because it does something to them。〃
He uncapped his protective hand。 A skin tear produced by the point of the file was revealed； not very serious； but lavishly blooded； as such things often are。 It even dripped down free off his outpoised hand； which he had inadvertently spaded almost under Cardozo's nose； to keep from staining his own cuff with it。
Cardozo blinked twice； as one does in disfort。 Then he sidled his face sidewise； in uncontrollable repugnance at the bleeding wound's almost contact…point proximity。
Nobody said anything； they understood。
Robles let out a faintly discernible sigh after a moment。 〃Take him outside；〃 he said。 〃We'll continue later。〃 And to somebody else； as the door closed； 〃See if you can find some alcohol for the norteсo's finger…〃
〃It was worth it；〃 Manning said； blowing on it and wringing it out。 〃What are you going to do now； turn him loose？〃
〃Continue to hold him in custody；〃 Robles said vindictively。 〃Give your theory rope； and rope； and rope until it strangles itself！〃
〃I don't get you。〃
Robles smiled bleakly。 〃If these barbarities mysteriously cease to occur while he is in our hands； that is one thing。 But if one should take place again…〃
V。 Sally O'Keefe
In the Inglaterra Hotel on Corriente Street； Sally O'Keefe had the floor…length windows of their room wide open to a picture night that booked like something on a travel poster。
She was standing there framed against them； arms out in arrested ecstasy。 She was short and slight； hair a reddish gold； eyes blue； and rosettes of freckles on each cheek gave her face an elfin piquancy。
〃Marj； isn't that incredible？ That can't be real。 Somebody painted it outside our window for our special benefit。〃
Through a luminous dust posed of phosphorescent particles of greenish blue and silver； lines of incandescence had been traced； as though someone had drawn a radium…tipped stick through it that left glowing traces。 These were the streets and avenues。 Around and about was the bow black undulation made by the hills against a sky that； where it joined them in the west； was still a glowing turquoise； as though reflecting a hidden row of low…burning gas flames strung out along its base。 Up above in the center of its dome it had darkened to night； but the warm rich darkness of semitropic night； so lavishly scattered with stars they were like a blinding shower of permanently upflung confetti。 Or the after…stages of a burst skyrocket。
〃Now I can die happy！〃 the girl at the window rhapsodized。
Marjorie King； her traveling panion； more practical； smiled into the dresser glass before which she sat pleting the final touches of her toilette。 She was a brunette； with a sort of stateliness to her good looks that the other's pertness lacked。 Even seated； she was obviously a good head or two taller than the other girl。 The casting director of a stage production could have differentiated them more accurately than the ordinary layman； Marjorie was the show…girl type； Sally the pony chorus girl。 Neither of them； as a matter of fact； was of the theater。 Sally was the private secretary to a harvesting…machinepany vice…president。 Marjorie was branch manager for one of a large chain of candy stores； known as 〃Handmaid；〃 where everything was done by machinery but the eating。 Both were on their first real vacation in years； a long…planned； long…saved…for； many…times…def erred sabbatical that they had practically had to blackmail their respective employers for。 It was a free…lance trip； they would have nothing to do with conducted tours and large； sardinelike cruise parties rushing about in military formation。
〃That's Naples you're thinking of； isn't it？〃 Marjorie answered the remark。 〃And anyway； if it's all you say； why spoil it by speaking of dying in the same breath with it？〃
〃Just a phrase； just a turn of speech；〃 Sally said； turning away at last and ing toward her。 〃When you feel as I do tonight； it has no meaning at all。 I never felt so alive before in my life！ This place certainly brings out the dynamism in you。 What're we doing tonight？〃
Marjorie stood up； ready to go。 〃This was your night for making the plans； haven't you got anything worked out？ That was our arrangement； remember？ One night I'm the boss； the next night you are。〃
Sally essayed analyzing herself； while her friend went around putting out the lights； a habit that they were not accustomed enough to hotels to have broken themselves of yet。 〃I feel sort of sentimental； romantic。 It must be that out there brought it on。 None of these jangling； brassy casinos or night clubs for me tonight。 I feel sort of pastoral…yes that's how I feel； pastoral。〃
〃Pasteurized？〃 Marjorie teased； gathering up an outer wrap。
Sally gave her a push at the rear of the waist。 〃I heard somebody or other mention a place out in a park on the outskirts； where you eat in the open air under the trees；〃 she resumed。 〃They say it's beautiful； all colored lanterns。