Does it strike
you that you, in fact, killed the five to enable you to run away with
the girl you loved?"
It hadn't struck me in that light, but it was quite irrelevant.
"But for your scheme I should have come back without a blow," he
continued; "but then I should have shot McGregor just the same."
"Because he led the revolt?"
"Because," said the President, "he has been a traitor from the
beginning even to the end--because he tried to rob me of all I held
dear in the world. If you like," he added, with a shrug, "because he
stood between me and my will. So I went up to him and told him his
hour was come, and I shot him through the head. He died like a man,
Martin; I will say that."
I could not pretend to regret the dead man. Indeed, I had been
near doing the same deed myself. But I shrank before this calm
ruthlessness.
Another long pause followed. Then the President said:
"I am sorry for all this, Martin--sorry you and I came to blows."
"You played me false about the money," I said bitterly.
"Yes, yes," he answered gently; "I don't blame you. You were bound to
me by no ties. Of course you saw my plan?"
"I supposed your Excellency meant to keep the money and throw me
over.
Pages:
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177