An alcove, which he had not marked, was hewn
in the brow of the precipice. It had been intended to shelter pilgrims
from the wind and the snow; and there, wrapped in his buff garments,
whose hue, assimilating to that of the rock, absorbed him from
detection, stood a witness to the deed--the guard to the diligence--none
other than Auburn Risque.
For an instant only the accused shrank back. Then his body grew short
and compact; he was gathering himself up for a life-struggle.
"Hold off!" said Risque, in his old, hard, measured way; "we guards go
armed; if you move, I shall scatter your brains in the snow; if I miss
you, a note of this whistle will summon my postilions."
The cold face was never more emotionless; he held a revolver in his
hand, and kept the other in his blank, spotted eye, as if locating the
vital parts with the end to bring him down at a shot.
"You do not play well," said Risque at length, when the other, ghastly
white, sat speechless upon the parapet; "if you were the student of
chance, that I have been, you would know that at murder the odds are
always against you!"
"You will not betray me?" pleaded Plade; "so inveterate a gamester can
have no conventional ideas of life or crime. I am ready to pay for your
discretion with half my winnings.
Pages:
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88