Down I jumped into the hollow, and having seized my prize, was up again before you could have counted ten. Having stuffed the precious thing into my pocket, I stood upon the ridge and once more looked at Ammon. He had risen and gone back a little; thus much I could make out but nothing more, for now he was wellnigh invisible. Dead, awful silence followed, and for the first time since leaving home I felt afraid; afraid, that is, because I could not see this murderous villain clearly, because he was now but a lurking, threatening shadow in the darkness. But just as I was thinking swiftly whether to speed home with what I had so luckily secured, or draw my sword and try to end the mischief-working fellow’s life, the heavy westward clouds behind me broke; the moon burst forth; and, in a moment, we were made plain to one another. There, stiff and straight, stood Tubal Ammon with his hands behind him, as motionless as though he had been carved in cold grey stone. The moon shone full upon his yellow, wrinkled face, and, seen by that ghostly light, he was, indeed, as much like Satan as a man could be. The very gold-pieces, glistening here and there, deep red, among the grass, were to my startled fancy as great drops of blood. Thus, for the second time within the rounding of the clock, did I and Tubal Ammon face each other; and ’tis small wonder that I, stiff as he, stared at him like one spell-bound. And as I stared, I remember wondering vaguely what had possessed him to remain thus, when he might easily have fled to safety in the dark-ness. Surely not the gold, for he had gathered most of that! What, then? Well, I was very soon to know. Meanwhile the silence grew appalling, unsupportable. It must be broken. "Once more!" I shouted. "Once more," he answered, though in a voice so low and still as barely moved his lips. "What would you have?" I asked, scarce knowing what I said. Another silence followed, and then two words came hissing through it like a knife-thrust: "Your life!" Although this was no news to me, the utterance of it thus was something of a shock. A threat made face to face gains ugly meaning, especially from such a man as he who stood before me. I paused a moment, then said, slowly: "Yes, truly, you would kill me and my father also. I am forewarned of that. For, look you, Tubal Ammon, all your foul plans are known to me. I have been listening long enough to hear them one and all." At that he gave a little start, so small as scarcely to be noticed, then murmured: "Ah! ’twas well done, friend, well, indeed!" "Well or ill, ’twas done!" I answered hotly; "and now, listen, thou wicked, murderous jail-bird: before this time to-morrow, the law shall have both you and your accursed master by the heels."