"My dear girl, it's not a question of being afraid. It's my word--my duty to Belding."

"You said you loved me. If you love me you will go...You don't love me!"

Gale could only stare at this transformed girl.

"Dick, listen!...If you go--if you fetch some word of Thorne to comfort Mercedes, you--well, you will have your reward."

Her dangerous sweetness was as amazing as this newly revealed character.

"No-no!" cried Gale, in violence, struggling with himself. "Nell Burton, I'll tell you this. To have the reward I want would mean pretty hear heaven for me. But not even for that will I break my word to your father."

She seemed the incarnation of girlish scorn and wilful passion.

"Gracias, senor," she replied, mockingly. "Adios." Then she flashed out of his sight.