“Oh, that’s the limit.  You’ll go nutty, married to a chap you don’t care for.”

“But I am naughty, now.”

“Not ’naughty’—­nutty.  You’ll be perfectly miserable.  There ought to be a law against it.  Let me call and talk it over, at least.  I know all about marriage—­I’ve been around so many married people.  Promise?”

“I cannot let you ‘call,’ as you say.  Besides, for two weeks yet I must remain here alone with Stephanie.”  She regarded him mournfully.  “Every day I must do my penance, and think of my sins, and—­perhaps look for orchids.”

He saw the light that flickered in the depths of her velvet eyes, and his heart pounded violently at the unspoken invitation.

“To-morrow?” he inquired, breathlessly.  “Do you intend to hunt orchids to-morrow?”

Instead of answering she started to her feet with a little cry, and he did likewise.  Back of them had sounded an exclamation—­it was more like the snort of a wild animal than a spoken word—­and there, ten feet away, stood a tall, copper-colored negress, her eyes blazing, her nostrils dilated, a look of utmost fury upon her face.  She was fully as tall as Kirk, gaunt, hook-nosed, and ferocious.  About her head was bound a gaudy Barbadian head-dress, its tips erect like startled ears, increasing the wildness of her appearance.

“Stephanie!” exclaimed the girl.  “You frightened me.”

The negress strode to her, speaking rapidly in Spanish, then turned upon Kirk.

“What do you want here?” she cried, menacingly.  She had thrust her charge behind her and now pierced him with her eyes.

“Miss Chiquita—­” he began, at which that young lady broke into another peal of silvery laughter and chattered to her servant.  But her words, instead of placating the black woman, only added to her fury.  She pointed with quivering hand to the path along the creek-bank and cried: 

“Go!  Go quick, you man!” Then to her charge:  “You bad, bad!  Go to the house.”

“Miss Chiquita hasn’t done anything to make you huffy.  I came out of the woods yonder and she was good enough to direct me to the road.”

But Stephanie was not to be appeased.  She stamped her flat foot and repeated her command in so savage a tone that Kirk perceived the uselessness of trying to explain.  He looked appealingly at the girl, but she merely nodded her head and motioned him to be gone.

“Very well,” he said, regretfully.  “Thank you for your assistance, miss.”  He bowed to the little figure in blue with his best manner and took up his gun.  “This way out!  No crowding, please.”

“Adios, Senor Antonio,” came the girl’s mischievous voice, and as he strode down the path he carried with him the memory of a perfect oval face smiling at him past the tragic figure of the Bajan woman.  He went blindly, scarcely aware of the sun-mottled trail his feet were following, for his wits were a-flutter and his heart was leaping to some strange intoxication that grew with every instant.