e under ze bed, but in it! You shall
see! In Mexico ze heart leap! Ze soul she is free! You can do what you
want--zat is, onless someone shoot you. Leesten, senora." He leaned close
to Lucia, who had not ventured to move, "Did you ever know the joy of
fierce leeving? Did you?"

But she did not reply. Instead, it was the impetuous Angela who answered
him:

"Yes. I mean, no!"

Lopez turned and scowled at her. "I was not spik to you," he said.

"You weren't!" Angela looked her surprise.

"_Ciertamente_ no!" the bandit said.

Angela was hurt. "But you're not cross with me, are you?" she almost wept.

"No! I am not cross wiz you! Eez zat you annoy me!" And as though she were
a doll, he pushed her from him, his big hand almost blotting out her pretty
little face. The stool and Angela fell to the floor. She was furious. The
devil in her was roused. Chagrined, she picked herself up. Her dainty plaid
frock was covered with dust. She brushed it off as best she could, and
cried:

"How dare you push my face, you bad man!"

"You should keep your face to home," Lopez answered, not turning a hair. He
hadn't meant to be cruel. The incident was nothing to him. When anyone was
in his way, he always got the obstacle out of it. He addressed the silent
Lucia, who was horrified at the treatment accorded the innocent Angela.
"Now that we have all finished eating," he said, delighting in the sarcasm,
since no one else had had a bite, "we will get down to business." He
shoved the tray aside, and the cook began instantly to clean things up.
"Pedro!" Lopez called, taking out a huge ivory toothpick which he
shamelessly used.

Instantly Pedro was at the door. "_Si!_" he said.

Lopez still spoke to Lucia: "We shall have big time togezzer--at least for
a leetle while." Then he motioned to Pedro; and his men brought in the male
prisoners. "You will not worry 'bout being married, once you come wiz me."

Morgan Pell heard this last remark.

"Look here," he said, "that's my wife you're talking to!" Rage was in his
face. He didn't care whether he was this man's prisoner or not. There
should be no insults hurled at Lucia--that old, primitive feeling for his
woman was roused.

"So!" was all Lopez said, turning on Pell, and nodding his head. "Ees nice
wife--I like her. You do not mind, do you?" His hand touched Lucia's arm.
"Ees all right. I shall ask no question. You shall answer what I ask. And
as is my custom, anybody what does not tell z