rms closing about her, and
kissing her full on the lips.

"When we are married," he said at last, "we'll start in search of the
Esmeralda, the famous old Spanish mine that was destroyed by the
earthquake, and if, as your brother said, he really found the lead
again, you and Don Felipe's child will be the two richest women in
Chihuahua."

"Then let it be soon, Dick!" she answered. "Oh! I know I've been
perfectly horrid!" she cried, flinging her arms about his neck in a
fresh outburst, and kissing him again and again. "But I'll make it up to
you, Dick! I'll show you how Bessie Van Ashton can love!" There was
another long silence, during which each could hear the beating of the
other's heart. Then looking up with a pained, disheartened expression on
her face, she said: "I'm sorry I can't come to you with a fortune, Dick.
My father will cast me off, and all I now possess in this world are you
and the clothes on my back."

"Why, you sweet, pathetic little beggar!" he exclaimed, sealing her lips
with a kiss.

"He said he would rather see me dead at his feet than married to you,"
she went on. "Of course, if you were immensely wealthy, he might learn
to tolerate you in time. We're all like that, you know, but as things
are, we'll have to shift as best we can."

"Well, I don't lay claim to much," he said, restraining his mirth with
difficulty. "There's the Esmeralda, you know, but even if that fails us,
there's no cause for immediate worry. We'll find a modest little hovel
somewhere that is large enough to contain our love." And then he laughed
long and loud, laughed as he had never laughed before.

"What are you laughing at?" she inquired, with a dawning suspicion that
he was keeping something from her.

"Oh, nothing," he answered at length. "You'll forgive me, I'm sure, when
I say, that I can't help thinking what an ass your father is!" And
Bessie Van Ashton stepped into a bigger life than she had ever known.

XXXV

Perhaps all was not yet lost. The Padre's words and attitude acted like
a wonderful elixir upon Chiquita. They buoyed her up, lifted her soul
from the dust where it had been flung and trampled upon.

The house oppressed her, and sleep being impossible, she opened the door
and stepped out into the garden and wandered along the paths that led in
and out among the flowers and shrubs, inhaling the delicious night air,
faintly perfumed with the delicate fragrance of mignonette and
heliotrope and a f