At his side hung an empty sheath, that must once have held a short knife, and the handle of another knife glittered above his waistband.

But it was his face that fascinated all my gaze.

Even had I no other cause to remember it, I could never forget the lines of that wicked mouth, or the glitter in those cruel eyes as their first sharp flash of surprise faded into a mocking and evil smile.
For a minute or so he stood tranquilly watching our confusion, while the smile grew more and more devilishly bland.

Not a word was spoken.

What my comrade did I know not, but, for myself, I could not take my eyes from that fiendish face.
At last he spoke: in a sweet and silvery voice, that in company with such eyes was an awful and fantastic lie, he spoke-- "Well, this is pleasant indeed.