Her quick spurt of anger rose, flared, and dwindled away like a little flame extinguished by a splash of rain; the tears were stinging her eyes almost before the last word.  For she felt that here was no Roderick Norton speaking, but rather a bit of bone pressing upon the delicate machinery which is a man’s brain.

“Where would you take me?” she asked faintly.

“To the King’s Palace,” he answered bitterly.  “Where we had one perfect, happy day, Virginia; where, I had hoped, we would have other perfect days.  Oh, girl, can’t you see,” and his voice went thrilling through her, “can’t you see what I have hoped, what I have dreamed. . . .”

“You might still hope,” she told him steadily.  “You might still dream.”

“I will!” His eyes shone at her, his erect form outlined against the black of the earth and the gleam of the stars was eloquent of mastery.  “There will come a time when you will see life as I see it. . . .  And now, for the last time, will you give me your promise, Virginia?  It is forced upon you; you will be blameless in giving it.  Will you do so?”

She only shook her head, her lips trembling, not trusting her voice. . . .  And then, in a sort of daze, she knew that they had turned off to the left, that no longer was San Juan ahead of them, that they were riding toward the gloomy bulwark of the mountains.

CHAPTER XX

FLUFF AND BLACK BILL

Fluff and Black Bill were quarrelling.

Elmer, while Norton and Virginia were on their way from San Juan to Las Estrellas, had dropped in at the hotel to see his sister.  He found upon her office table the card which she always left for him; this merely informed him that she was “out on a case at Las Estrellas.”  Elmer had come for her purposing to suggest a call upon the Engles.  For not yet had he summoned the hardihood to present himself alone at Florrie’s home.  Now, disgruntled, seeing plainly that Virginia would never get back in time, he went out on the veranda and took solace from the pipe to which he had grown fairly accustomed.  To him came the girl of whom he was thinking.  “Hello, Fluff,” he said from the shadows.

“Hello, Black Bill,” she greeted him.  “Where’s Virgie?”

“Gone,” he informed her, waving his pipe.  “On a case to Las Estrellas.  I’m waiting for her.  Did you want to see her?”

Florrie, coming down the veranda to him, giggled.

“No,” she told him flippantly.  “I’m looking for the Emperor of China.  I never was so lonesome. . . .”

“So’m I,” said Elmer.  He pushed a chair forward with his foot.  “Sit down and we’ll wait for her.  And I’ll go in and bring out a couple of bottles of ginger ale or something.”

“Will she be back real soon?” asked Florrie pretending to hesitate.

“Sure,” he assured her positively.

“All right then.”  Florrie with a great rustling of skirts sat down.  “But you must be nice to me, Black Bill.”