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ch got a good deal uglier。 I tried to get Mary to take a few hours of sleep； and she tried to get me to do the same； and although we both put on the performance of a lifetime neither of us would concede defeat。
It was about three the next afternoon when I heard the scream。 I left one of de Villega's rurales to finish sewing up his own arm and sprinted down a crowded hall toward the surgery where Mary and Corinne had been for the past thirteen hours。 It sounded as though the scream had e from there。。。
It had。 As I burst in the door I saw Mary first； in the impersonally efficient grip of the largest man I've ever seen in my life。 Then I saw Corinne； struggling with a broad…backed revolutionary who was throttling a uniformed patient on the operating table。 The crossed bandoliers over his shoulders rose and fell as he strangled； as though he wanted there to be more to it than simply clenching his fingers。 Corinne's flailing fists he noticed not at all。
She was undoubtedly stronger than I … I wasted no time in tugging at the madman's shoulder。 I picked up the nearest heavy object； a water pitcher I believe； and bounced it off the back of his skull as hard as I could。 He sighed and crumpled； and I whirled toward the giant that held my Mary。
〃You should not have done that； senor；〃 he said in a deep； soft voice。 〃The man on the bed； he once did a discourtesy to Pedro's wife。 A grave discourtesy。〃
〃Get out of this room at once；〃 Corinne snapped in her best drill … sergeant voice； shaking with rage。
The big man shook his head sadly。 〃I am afraid not； senorita；〃 he rumpled。 Hands like shovels tightened around Mary's biceps； and she still had not uttered a sound since I burst in。 〃Senor；〃 the giant said to me； 〃you must please put down that pitcher； or I will be forced to do your own wife a small discourtesy。〃 I started。 〃Ah； you see？ I know who you are； and I would not wish to be discourteous to the wife of a man of God。〃
The gorilla on the floor began to stir； and the huge man sighed。 〃I am afraid it is all over for you； Padre。 Pedro； he is a most unreasonable man when he feels his honor is at stake。 You hit him from behind。〃
Corinne snarled and leaped at him； and I followed suit。 Even together we could not budge him or his iron grip； but we kept him too busy to hurt Mary； and I think we might eventually have prevailed。 But suddenly something large and heavy smashed into my left kidney； and I fell to the floor gasping with pain。 Through the haze I saw Pedro； his tangled hair soaked with blood on the side； step over me and reach for Mary； and my soul died in my chest。
Then my ears rang with a shot； and I twisted about on the floor to see a tall man with a bristling mustache framed in the doorway； a smoking automatic in his hand。 He wore the shapeless khakis of the mountains and there was an easy arrogance in the smile with which he regarded all of us。
Behind me there was thud as a body hit the floor。 Half…blind with pain； I contrived to roll over again and saw that the pistol shot had taken off the top of Pedro's skull。
〃There is that about martial law；〃 said the man in the doorway with sardonic amusement。 〃It is addictive。〃
I finally managed to sit up； bracing myself against a large oxygen bottle。 〃Who are you？〃 I managed。
The lean； mustached man bowed low。 〃Permit me to introduce myself； Padre。 I am El Supremo a Illustrisimo Senor Manuel Conception de Miranda； the current ruler of this republic。 You in turn； are the Reverend Hauptman； and I must assume that the charming lady there … release her at once； Diego … is your wife Mary。〃
His excellent English bespoke an unusual degree of education； and his bearing was a studied claim to nobility。 I began to believe that we three might survive the afternoon for the first time in what seemed like hours。
〃How do you all seem to know who we are？〃 I asked。 〃We only arrived yesterday； and I don't think we've spoken to more than a handful of Pasalans。 Yet that monster over there knew us。。。 and I'm sure I'd remember him。〃
〃I know all about the ings and goings of all American nationals in Pasala；〃 he said smugly。 〃Your country has been a source of much inconvenience to me； and I am a thorough man； as are my lieutenants。 Diego is one； Pedro there was another。 I cannot abide by a lieutenant who loses his head。〃 He holstered his gun and entered the room； and I struggled to my feet with Mary's help。 We clung together； and she trembled violently。
El Supremo looked about； failed to find a place to sit。
He strode to the operating table； shoved the wounded and unconscious soldier off onto the hard floor quite casually； and sat down with his legs dangling over the edge。
Corinne went for him； but before she covered three feet the giant Diego intercepted her and lifted her clear off her feet。 She struck at his face with balled fists； but he appeared not to notice。 She was sobbing with rage。
〃Diego；〃 said Miranda with a grin； 〃since you do not seem to be content unless you have a woman in your hands； why don't you take the young lady to my apartments and keep her there until I e； eh？〃
Mary and I both cried out。
〃My friends；〃 said Miranda； still grinning； 〃this is only justice。 I had a woman； Rosa； and she was heart of my heart。 She was killed last night； by an American cannon shell。 Because of your country； I have no woman。 It seems only fair that America give me a woman。 I prefer an unmarried woman； and I do not think the sister of a minister's wife will disappoint me。〃 He laughed； a gay laugh that froze my blood。
〃There is that about martial law；〃 I heard myself say。 〃It is selective。〃
〃Explain；〃 El Supremo barked。
〃I believe the man on the floor over there was shot for attempted rape；〃 I said quietly。
〃Padre；〃 said the tall revolutionary； drawing his gun again； 〃in the absence of a lawful constitution for Pasala I must do the best I can myself。 Occasionally I may be inconsistent； as I am now in sentencing you and your wife to ten years' imprisonment for disturbing the peace。
〃But you will find that there is this about martial law： it is effective。〃
The next twenty minutes were the last free minutes I would spend for ten years； and the last free minutes of Mary's life； but I don't remember one of them。 El Supremo marched us at gunpoint across the plaza to the palace； down many flights of stairs； to the lowest of the three basement floors which made up the palace's dungeons。 There he locked us personally into a nine … by … twelve stone cell； and left。
We were there for nine years； and I will not speak of those years。 After Mary died； I was alone there for eleven months longer； and I will not think of those months。 I will only say that in the first weeks； I thanked God for giving Miranda the spark of humanity which caused him to put both Mary and me in the
same cell。。。 but soon； as I began to see the subtlety and horror of his true intent； I came to curse him with a black hatred。 Ten years inside a stone cube with no heat； no ventilation and a pail for a toilet can do much to a marriage； and that Mary and I survived as long as we did was； I assure you； due only to the dep