pillow under my head, child! What is that? a fish?"

Tita looked. She did not think it was a fish: but she did not choose to
say so; for it might have produced an argument, and she had her reasons
for not keeping his holiness awake.

The bishop looked again; settled that it must be a white whale, or
shark, or other monster of the deep; crossed himself, prayed for a safe
voyage, and snored once more.

Presently the cabin-door opened gently, and the head of the senor
intendant appeared.

Tita sat up; and then began crawling like a snake along the floor, among
the chairs and tables, by the light of the cabin lamp.

"Is he asleep?"

"Yes: but the casket is under his head."

"Curse him! How shall we take it?"

"I brought him a fresh pillow half-an-hour ago; I hung his hammock wrong
on purpose that he might want one. I thought to slip the box away as I
did it; but the old ox nursed it in both hands all the while."

"What shall we do, in the name of all the fiends? She sails to-morrow
morning, and then all is lost."

Tita showed her white teeth, and touched the dagger which hung by the
intendant's side.

"I dare not!" said the rascal, with a shudder.

"I dare!" said she. "He whipt my mother, because she would not give me
up to him to be taught in his schools, when she went to the mines. And
she went to the mines, and died there in three months. I saw her go,
with a chain round her neck; but she never came back again. Yes; I dare
kill him! I will kill him! I will!"

The senor felt his mind much relieved. He had no wish, of course, to
commit the murder himself; for he was a good Catholic, and feared the
devil. But Tita was an Indian, and her being lost did not matter so
much. Indians' souls were cheap, like their bodies. So he answered, "But
we shall be discovered!"

"I will leap out of the window with the casket, and swim ashore. They
will never suspect you, and they will fancy I am drowned."

"The sharks may seize you, Tita. You had better give me the casket."

Tita smiled. "You would not like to lose that, eh? though you care
little about losing me. And yet you told me that you loved me!"

"And I do love you, Tita! light of my eyes! life of my heart! I swear,
by all the saints, I love you. I will marry you, I swear I will--I will
swear on the crucifix, if you like!"

"Swear, then, or I do not give you the casket," said she, holding out
the little crucifix round her neck, and devouring him with the wild