"
"Get out of the way, Hamlin," said Hubbard, rushing after his prey.
"God damn you, get out of my way. What do you mean by interfering?"
Perez scarcely looked at him, but he threw a glance around upon the
others, a glance of appeal, and said in a peculiar voice of suppressed
emotion:
"For God's sake, some of you take the fellow away, or I shall kill
him."
Instantly Israel Goodrich and half a dozen more had rushed between the
two. The twitching muscles of Perez' face and that strange tone as of
a man appealing to be saved from himself, had suddenly roused all
around from mirthful or curious contemplation of the scene to a
perception that a terrible tragedy had barely been averted.
Meanwhile the floor was being cleared of the husks and soon the merry
notes of the fiddle speedily dissipated the sobering influence of the
recent fracas. Desire danced once with her brother and once with old
Israel, who positively beamed with pleasure. But Hubbard, who was now
pretty drunk, followed her about, every now and then taking the red
ear out of his pocket and shaking it at her, so that between the
dances and after them, she took care not to be far from Perez, though
she pretended not to notice her pursuer.
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