like dat, no, no. I want de man to lofe me always--nevah to vish he
not marry me. You not know me yet; I not know you. Maybe ve vait, ve
know."

He caught her gesticulating hands, prisoning them strongly within both
his own, but she shook forward her loosened hair until it fell
partially across her face, hiding it thus from his eager eyes bent in
passion upon her.

"B-but tell me y-you love me! T-tell me th-th-that, an' I 'll let the
o-other go!"

"You vould make me to say de untrue, senor?"

"Of course not. I w-want ter kn-kn-know. Only if you d-do n't, I 'm
a-goin' t-ter git out o' yere."

She remained silent, motionless, her telltale face shadowed, only the
quick rise and fall of the bosom evidencing emotion. The man looked at
her helplessly, his mouth setting firm, his eyes becoming filled with
sudden doubt.

"W-well, Mercedes," he stuttered, unable to restrain himself, "wh-what
is it?"

She lifted her lowered head ever so slightly, so that he saw her
profile, the flush on the cheek turned toward him.

"Maybe eet better you stay, senor. Anyhow, I no vant you go just now."

For once he proved the more swift of the two, clasping her instantly
within his arms, drawing her slender form close against him with a
strength he failed to realize in that sudden excess of passion.
Holding her thus in helpless subjection he flung aside the obstructing
veil of hair, and covered the flushed cheeks with kisses. The next
moment, breathless, but not with indignation, the girl had pushed his
burning face aside, although she still lay quivering within the
remorseless clasp of his arms.

"I no said all dat, senor; I no said all dat. You so ver' strong, you
hurt Mercedes. Please, senor--eet vas not dat I meant eet should be
dis vay--no, no. I no said I lofe you; I just say stay till maybe I
know vich--please, senor."

"N-not till yer k-kiss me yourself," and Brown, intensely conscious of
triumph, held back the mass of black hair, his eager eyes devouring the
fair face pressing his shoulder. "O-one kiss w-with ther l-l-lips, an'
I 'll let yer g-go."

"No, no, senor."

"Th-then I h-hold yer here till some one comes."

"Eet vas not lofe; eet vas just to get avay."

"I-I-I take ch-chances on that, l-little girl."

Their lips met and clung; all unconsciously the free arm of the girl
stole upward, clasping the man's broad shoulder. For that one instant
she forgot all excepting the new joy of that embrace,