another gentleman's little game," he continued coarsely.

"Stand up."

"Wot for?"

"Up, I say!"

Manuel stood up and glanced at him.

"Utter a cry that might frighten these women, and by the living God
they'll rush in here only to find you lying dead on the floor of the
house you'd have polluted."

He grasped the whip and laid the lash of it heavily twice over the
ruffian's shoulders. Writhing in suppressed agony, the man fell
imploringly on his knees.

"Now, listen!" said Lee, softly twirling the whip in the air. "I want to
refresh your memory. Did you ever learn, when you were with me--before
I was obliged to kick you out of gentlemen's company--to break into a
private house? Answer!"

"No," stammered the wretch.

"Did you ever learn to rob a woman, a child, or any but a man, and that
face to face?"

"No," repeated Manuel.