Beth Norvell

Impulsively Beth Norvell, her own eyes moist, held the other, sobbing

like a child within the clasp of sympathetic arms. There was instantly

formed between them a new bond, a new feeling of awakened womanhood.

Yet, even as her fingers continued to stroke the dishevelled hair

softly, there flashed across her mind a recurring memory of her

purpose, the necessity for immediate action. Not for an instant longer

did she doubt the complete honesty of the other's frank avowal, or

question the propriety of requesting her aid in thwarting Farnham. She

held the slight, quivering figure back, so that she might gaze into the

uplifted, questioning face.

"Mercedes, yes, yes, I understand it all," she cried eagerly. "But we

cannot talk about it any longer now. It is a wonderful thing, this

love of a good man; but we are wasting time that may mean life or death

to others, perhaps even to him. Listen to what I say--Farnham has

already gone to the 'Little Yankee,' and taken a gang of roughs with

him. They left San Juan on horseback more than half an hour ago. He

threatened me first, and boasted that Mr. Winston was out there, and

that I was too late to warn him of danger. Oh, girl, you understand

what that means; you know him well, you must realize what he is capable

of doing. I came here as fast as I could in the dark," she shuddered,

glancing backward across her shoulder. "Every step was a way of

horrors, but I did n't know any one who could help me. But you--you

know the way to the 'Little Yankee,' and we--we must get there before

daylight, if we have to crawl."

All that was savagely animal in the other's untamed nature flamed into

her face.

"He say vat? Señor Farnham he say vat he do?"

"He said dynamite told no tales, but sometimes killed more than the one

intended."

Mercedes' hand went to her head as though a pain had smitten her, and

she stepped back, half crouching in the glow like a tiger cat.

"He say dat? De man say dat? Holy Angels! he vas de bad devil, but he

find me de bad devil too. Ah, now I play him de game, an' ve see who

vin! De 'Leetle Yankee,' eet tree mile, señorita, an' de road rough,

mooch rough, but I know eet--si, I know eet, an' ve get dare before de

day come; sure ve do eet, bueno." She grasped the arm of the other,

now fully aroused, her slight form quivering from intense excitement.

"Come, I show you. See! he vas my pony--ah! eet makes me to laugh to

know de Señor Farnham give him me; now I make him to upset de Señor

Farnham. Sapristi! eet vas vat you call de vay of de vorld, de

verligig; vas eet not so? You ride de pony, señorita; I valk an' lead

him--si, si, you more tired as Mercedes; I danseuse, no tire ever in de

legs. Den I find de vay more easy on foot in de dark, see? You ride

good, hey? He jump little, maybe, but he de ver' nice pony, an' I no

let him run. No, no, de odder vay, señorita, like de man ride. Poof!

it no harm in de dark. Bueno, now ve go to surprise de Señor

Farnham."