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cracked； and he thought it was the cleanest； loveliest sound he'd ever heard。 The thing； whatever it was； reared up even higher than before； claws threshing the air； then started to go over backwards。
The revolver exploded a second time。 The thing in the background went down faster； rolled over with an air of finality； lay there inert； jaguar； or man； or jaguar…man。
Manning could feel himself stumbling forward； he lurched to his knees beside the trestle； picked her limp form up in his arms； held her protectively clasped to him； but more in a state of bewilderment than active helpfulness。 Presently he became aware of a heart beating somewhere close to his own； and he knew she wasn't dead。
The revolver kept crashing out； meanwhile； and a sort of chant of vengeance acpanied it。 〃That's for Conchita。〃 Bam。 〃And that's for Conchita。〃 Bam。 〃And that's for all the others。〃 Bam。 〃But this； this one is for Conchita all over again！〃
Brief flashes kept flickering over Belmonte's face； lighting it momentarily from below each time。
〃Belmonte； quit；〃 Manning remonstrated at last。 〃Pull yourself together。 The thing's dead ten times over。〃
But the revolver kept on clicking emptily； over and over again。
After a while； he took the empty gun away from Belmonte； and said； 〃Take care of the girl。〃 Belmonte took the girl from him and carried her out of the place。 Manning went over closer to the huddled form lying on the ground； and stood looking down at it。 It had fallen face downward。 He turned it over with his foot。 He bent down for a moment； just once； then straightened up again。
When Belmonte came back presently； Manning was standing beside the kiln； thrusting a small deep…curved shovel down into it。 Before Belmonte knew what he was about； he had tipped it up again； overturned it。 A freshet of live coals spilled down over the exposed face on the floor； forming a glowing puddle； blanketing it。 They only darkened momentarily； then almost immediately they had brightened again as fiercely as ever。 Dank steam struggled up between the livid nuggets； like thin snakes。
Manning threw down the shovel and they both came away fast。
They sat sipping small stinging brandies in the morning sunlight； at a little cafй on the Alameda。 A shoeshine boy was crouched at Belmonte's feet。 All around them life was going on as usual。 It was hard to believe that just a few hours ago； not a stone's throw from here…
〃If you hadn't lost your head the way you did…〃 Manning began。
Belmonte tossed the bootblack a coin to get rid of him。 〃I lost my head？〃 he smiled。 〃On the contrary； I kept my head very well。 There is no capital punishment down here。 The most they could have given him； by statute； is twenty years to life。〃 He shrugged。 〃Do you see what I mean？〃
〃I see what you mean；〃 Manning assented。
〃One thing I don't understand；〃 Belmonte mused。 〃How did it get into the chapel in the first place？ The entrance was locked tight； the police had to take crowbars to it themselves when they were looking for it that first night； you remember？〃
〃The chapel is roofless； just four walls and open sky。 My conjecture is it ran into the doorway of the house immediately adjoining； came out on the roof； or some projecting ledge； of that； and seeing its escape cut off； jumped from there down into the opening offered by the ruined chapel； unseen by anyone against the surrounding blackness。 A leap from such a height wouldn't be prohibitive for an animal of its type； particularly spurred on by fear。
〃He got hold of it in some way； anyway； we know that much。 Your revolver； last night； deprived us of ever finding out the exact details。 Probably stunned it with a big rock and dragged it back through that tunnel； that he'd already been using for some time past。〃
He waited until the waiter had put down their new jiggers； gone away again。 〃He was ripe for murder； anyway。 The tinder was there； waiting。 The jaguar was the spark。 The spark came along and bang！ all over the place。 Every large city has dozens of his kind。 Fortunately； most of them never blow a fuse。 One in a hundred gets started off； and then you have it！ Jack the Ripper in London。 Bluebeard in France。 That ax killer…what was his name？…in Germany。
〃He got hold of it； anyway； and kept it for a while。 They found its grave last night； in the earthen floor of one of those cells； before we came away； remember？ And you heard what they told us they found after they dug it up。〃 He made a slicing motion。 〃The。 forepaws had been amputated； and the head skinned…〃
Belmonte quickly hoisted his brandy and cleaned it out。
〃But I don't think he did that right away； that curing and fashioning of the gauntlets and the mask。 I think the first time he found some way of transporting it； under his control and still alive； to the vicinity in which the attack on Teresa Delgado occurred。 In some car； or in some hamper； who knows how？ Held it there by him in that pitchdark tunnel under the viaduct； waiting for the first likely passer…by to e along； and when she did…unleashed it to see what it would do。 Probably he had starved it into a state of ferocity by then。〃
〃Then why didn't it turn on him and not the girl？〃 asked Belmonte。
〃He probably had something along to cow it with。 He must have； to be able to recapture it immediately after its foray。〃
〃 Que barbaridad； hombre！ 〃 Belmonte inhaled shiveringly。
〃But that wasn't enough for him。 It was too brief； too vicarious。 He couldn't approach close enough； nor linger to gloat。 It was too plicated。 So he didn't repeat that。 But his blood was up now。 He would be the jaguar instead。 So he killed it； and from then on he was。 With gauntlets that retained the death…dealing claws。 He found some way of manipulating them； making them emerge and recede just as in nature…by tiny springs or wires； who knows just how？〃
Belmonte passed his hand quickly across his eyes as if to shut out some too…insistent sight。 He went on hastily； as if to get away from that particular phase of the subject； 〃How could he go around rigged up like that； though？〃
〃He didn't； of course。 You noticed that loose； enfolding overcoat with big pockets we found there last night。 He probably muffled himself in that； took Out the paraphernalia at the last minute。〃
〃How is it he didn't leave footprints？〃
〃Rags wrapped around his shoes would take care of that。 But this is not really a police matter we are discussing； this is a case history in abnormal psychology。 A case history that unfortunately did not e to light until too late。 He needed； not policemen； but a doctor。〃
〃My revolver was the doctor；〃 Belmonte said； hardening his eyes。
〃Yes； the best； and by that time； the only possible one。〃
〃How can anyone like that be detected？〃 Belmonte wondered aloud。 〃Could a person tell just by looking at him？〃 Then he answered it himself； 〃No； I suppose not。〃
〃Sometimes you can；〃 Manning mused。 〃If you're smart； if you know what it means when you do。 And you usually don't。 Sometimes you'll catch an unguarded gleam in the eye for a moment； a glitter； a fervor； where you wouldn't in anyone else's。 Oh； nothing much； and you're not expecting it anyway； you're trustful； you say to yourself you imagined it。〃
〃Did you ever see a telltale look like that in anyone's eyes？〃 Belmonte asked him curiously。
〃Yes； once； I remember now that I did。 It was in a room at police headquarters。 A room crowded with people。 They were questioning a suspect。 I was fiddling away with a file； listening。 I hurt myself； here…〃 He ran a finger thoughtfully over a cicatrice still visible in the bulge below one thumb。 〃I came forward into the light； close to the suspect。 All were repulsed by the bleeding； messy sight。 But in the eyes of one man； and one man alone； I detected a certain unhealthy interest； a look that was almost an ogling。 I thought I was mistaken at the time； and like a fool I let the impression go； it left me。 But that was it； that was it； then and there； if I'd only realized。〃
〃And who was it； the suspect…of course？〃 Belmonte asked interestedly。
Manning took a moment to answer。 He turned his empty brandy jigger upside down。 〃No； the man who was there to question the suspect。 Police Inspector Robles。〃
Belmonte's face was a pucker of sudden white shock。
〃And now you know；〃 the American said quietly。 〃As you're entitled to。 But that look on your own face right now is the look that will be on everyone else's； when they hear it。 It'll be bad for the police； and worse for the public。 So I think it's better if we keep it where it is now： just between you and me and that shovelful of hot coals。〃
He stood up and stretched himself in the healing； cleansing sunlight slanting down under the cafй awning。
His voice trailed off as if he didn't want to talk about it any further。 〃Something that will never be mentioned again…but will always be there… between you； and me； and the bad dreams of out nights。〃
〃It's beautiful now！〃 she exclaimed。 〃e over here and look。〃
He came up behind her； where she was standing； before the open full…length windows。 She was gazing out with all the rapture attending