Nine o'clock
Only by catching at a horse-post did he save himself from a fall , but , as he straightened up , his face was one not to be looked at without a shudder ; grinding teeth , snapping , flashing eyes , vengeful contortions of brow and jaw , hate , fury , and revenge , all were quivering with the muscles under that swarthy skin , and the gleaming knife was clasped in his upraised hand as , driving into the ranch and out of sight of the hated `` Gringos , '' he burst into the room where sat his wife and daughter , and raging aloud , through that he leaped like a panther to another door , fastened on the farther side , where one instant he stood before admission could be gained , and through a panel in which there warily peered a bearded face , swarthy as his own . And then Señora Moreno hurriedly banged the shutter and took up her guitar . Something had to be done to hush the uproar of blasphemy and imprecation , mingling with the shout of exultation that instantly followed her lord 's admission to the den . Nine o'clock came . Murphy and his party were gone . The beacon still blazed at the westward pass . The twang of the guitar had ceased .