Загублений світ
Who could have Foreseen it?
Thefacehadvanished,butpresentlyitwasupagain,morefranticthanbefore.
"Wenearlykilledyouwithastoneatthecave,"hecried;"butthisisbetter.Itisslowerandmoreterrible.Yourboneswillwhitenupthere,andnonewillknowwhereyoulieorcometocoverthem.Asyouliedying,thinkofLopez,whomyoushotfiveyearsagoonthePutomayoRiver.Iamhisbrother,and,comewhatwillIwilldiehappynow,forhismemoryhasbeenavenged."Afurioushandwasshakenatus,andthenallwasquiet.
Hadthehalf-breedsimplywroughthisvengeanceandthenescaped,allmighthavebeenwellwithhim.Itwasthatfoolish,irresistibleLatinimpulsetobedramaticwhichbroughthisowndownfall.Roxton,themanwhohadearnedhimselfthenameoftheFlailoftheLordthroughthreecountries,wasnotonewhocouldbesafelytaunted.Thehalf-breedwasdescendingonthefarthersideofthepinnacle;butbeforehecouldreachthegroundLordJohnhadrunalongtheedgeoftheplateauandgainedapointfromwhichhecouldseehisman.Therewasasinglecrackofhisrifle,and,thoughwesawnothing,weheardthescreamandthenthedistantthudofthefallingbody.Roxtoncamebacktouswithafaceofgranite.
"Ihavebeenablindsimpleton,"saidhe,bitterly,"It’smyfollythathasbroughtyouallintothistrouble.Ishouldhaverememberedthatthesepeoplehavelongmemoriesforblood-feuds,andhavebeenmoreuponmyguard."
