Beth Norvell

The infatuated miner shook his head emphatically, and flung out one

hand toward her.

"No! Oh, you tink so now; you tink so ver' mooch now, but eet better

ve vait an' see. I know de men an' de vay dey forget after vile.

Maybe I not such good voman like you tink me; maybe I cross, scold, get

qvick mad; maybe I no like live widout de stage, de lights, de dance,

an' de fun, hey? Vat you do den? You be ver' sorry you marry. I no

like dat, no, no. I want de man to lofe me always--nevah to vish he

not marry me. You not know me yet; I not know you. Maybe ve vait, ve

know."

He caught her gesticulating hands, prisoning them strongly within both

his own, but she shook forward her loosened hair until it fell

partially across her face, hiding it thus from his eager eyes bent in

passion upon her.

"B-but tell me y-you love me! T-tell me th-th-that, an' I 'll let the

o-other go!"

"You vould make me to say de untrue, señor?"

"Of course not. I w-want ter kn-kn-know. Only if you d-do n't, I 'm

a-goin' t-ter git out o' yere."

She remained silent, motionless, her telltale face shadowed, only the

quick rise and fall of the bosom evidencing emotion. The man looked at

her helplessly, his mouth setting firm, his eyes becoming filled with

sudden doubt.

"W-well, Mercedes," he stuttered, unable to restrain himself, "wh-what

is it?"

She lifted her lowered head ever so slightly, so that he saw her

profile, the flush on the cheek turned toward him.

"Maybe eet better you stay, señor. Anyhow, I no vant you go just now."

For once he proved the more swift of the two, clasping her instantly

within his arms, drawing her slender form close against him with a

strength he failed to realize in that sudden excess of passion.

Holding her thus in helpless subjection he flung aside the obstructing

veil of hair, and covered the flushed cheeks with kisses. The next

moment, breathless, but not with indignation, the girl had pushed his

burning face aside, although she still lay quivering within the

remorseless clasp of his arms.

"I no said all dat, señor; I no said all dat. You so ver' strong, you

hurt Mercedes. Please, señor--eet vas not dat I meant eet should be

dis vay--no, no. I no said I lofe you; I just say stay till maybe I

know vich--please, señor."

"N-not till yer k-kiss me yourself," and Brown, intensely conscious of

triumph, held back the mass of black hair, his eager eyes devouring the

fair face pressing his shoulder. "O-one kiss w-with ther l-l-lips, an'

I 'll let yer g-go."

"No, no, señor."