ther,--ef he had made that presence
so hateful, that name so infamous, that exile, that flyin' to furrin'
parts, that wanderin' among strange folks ez didn't know ye, was the
only way to make life endurable; and ef he'd given ye,--I mean this
good old man Don Jose, miss,--ef he'd given ye as part of yer heritage
a taint, a weakness in yer very blood, a fondness for a poison, a poison
that soothed ye like a vampire bat and sucked yer life-blood (seizing
her arm) ez it soothed ye; ef this curse that hung over ye dragged ye
down day by day, till hating him, loathing him, ye saw yerself day by
day becoming more and more like him, till ye knew that his fate was
yours, and yours his,--why then, Miss Jovita (rising with an hysterical,
drunken laugh), why then, I'd run away with ye myself,--I would, damn
me!

Jovita (who has been withdrawing from him scornfully). Well acted,
Diego. Don Jose should have seen his pupil. Trust me, my father will
reward you. (Aside.) And yet there were tears in his drunken eyes.
Bah! it is the liquor: he is no longer sane. And, either hypocrite or
imbecile, he is to be trusted no longer. But where and why is he going?
(Aloud.) You are leaving us, Diego.

Sandy (quietly). Well, the old man and me don't get on together.

Jovita (scornfully). Bueno! I see. Then you abandon me.

Sandy (quickly). To the old man, miss,--not the young one. (Walks to the
table, and begins to pour out liquor.)

Jovita (angrily). You would not dare to talk to me thus if John
Oakhurst--ah! (Checking herself.)

Sandy (drops glass on table, hurries to centre, and seizes DONA JOVITA).
Eh! Wot name did you say? (Looks at her amazed and bewildered.)

Jovita (terrified, aside). Mother of God! What have I done? Broken my
sacred pledge to keep his name secret. No! No! Diego did not hear me!
Surely this wretched drunkard does not know him. (Aloud.) Nothing. I
said nothing: I mentioned no name.

Sandy (still amazed, frightened, and bewildered, passing his hand over
his forehead slowly). Ye mentioned no name? Surely. I am wild, crazed.
Tell me, miss--ye didn't,--I know ye didn't, but I thought it sounded
like it,--ye didn't mention the name of--of--of--John Oakhurst?

Jovita (hurriedly). No, of course not! You terrify me, Diego. You are
wild.

Sandy (dropping her hand with a sigh of relief). No, no! In course
ye didn't. I was wild, miss, wild; this drink has confused me yer.
(Pointing to his head.) There are times when I hea