of the guns and stores. This
Percival he has ordered the election. He insists that the people be
given a chance to vote once a year, to elect some one to take his place
if they feel like it. He says it is only fair. Faugh! He laughs in his
sleeve. Come! Your promise! I love you. I must have you for my woman.
I cannot live without you. I will give you power to spit in the face
of that woman down there--that American aristocrat! We will be rich, we
will be happy, we will have everything. Diamonds and pearls and rubies
and all the gold there is on this island. We will be the ones to go away
in the ship, and we will have jewels to shame the richest of them."

"We--you and Manuel and the rest--are to go away in the ship?" she
cried, cold to the marrow of her bones.

"Sure. Why not? Are we not to be the owners of that ship? It is your
chance to go back to the world again,--with me! Oh, and I agree to this
also: If you do not want me any longer after you are in Rio or Buenos
Aires or anywhere out there,--if you would rather be free again,--I
promise to release you. What could be fairer than that? Nothing! I shall
kill myself, of course, when you leave me,--but still I promise, and I
never break a promise. But I shall love you so much that you will never
leave me. You are my queen. Hell, how I love you--how I love you!" His
face darkened, then slowly paled. He realized that he had gone too far.
Leaning close to her, his frightened eyes not a foot from hers, he said:
"You cannot deny me now. I have told you everything. I do not know why
I have told you. I must be crazy with love of you. Ah,--the look in your
beautiful eyes! God, how it takes the weight off my mind. You will love
me,--you will be mine,--I see it in your eyes. When? When?"

She affected a bantering smile. She knew how to play with such fools as
he.

"Do you think I am a fool? How do I know you are not lying to me about
all this? It may be a trick to influence me. No, no! I am not such a
simpleton. You promise me diamonds, and gold, and much love. You promise
to take me away from this dreadful place on a ship, back to the world
I worship. But you may be lying. I must have something better than your
word, my friend."

"But I am telling you the truth. I swear it!" he cried eagerly.

"Keep your hands off of me,--do you hear! Don't touch me! Not yet, not
yet. I must have some proof that you can give me all these things you
offer. Will you have Manuel Crust guara