“Let’s see if we can find him,” she invited. “Perhaps Señor del Norte will excuse you.”
“Oh, don’t let me detain you,” bowed the Mexican. “It has been my pleasure to chat a few moments with you, and I will easily find others, although they may be less entertaining.”
As Elsie and Inza moved away, the former said:
“I don’t like the way he was talking to you, Inza, and I fancied you didn’t like it, either. I saw something in your manner—your movements—that made me think he was saying things he should not. What was he saying?”
“Oh, nothing more than a lot of foolishness,” Inza laughed. “He’s a clever talker.”
“Altogether too clever,” said Elsie. “He’s just what I said he was, a snake. There are beautiful snakes, you know, and Porfias del Norte is of that variety.”
“I am not in the least afraid of him,” laughed Inza. “The most beautiful snakes are usually perfectly harmless. The venomous kind are hideous and repulsive.”
“Still I fear you underrate the danger of having anything to do with that man. When I saw you with him a chill ran over me. When I saw him bend toward you, speaking swiftly, with that strange look on his face and in his eyes, my blood was cold in my body. Inza, do beware of him. Bart dislikes him quite as much as I do. Bart says he is one who strikes at an enemy’s back.”
“That’s not strange coming from Bart,” said Inza, “for he is one who always forms violent prejudices. But it does seem strange that you should feel so strongly about Porfias del Norte. I think you must have absorbed it from Bart.”
“No! no! I felt it the first time I saw the man. I didn’t know what Bart thought until I said something about him. Last night I dreamed of him. I suppose it was because he came upon us so softly and suddenly while we were chatting on the deck of the Sachem. You know I couldn’t bear to listen when he started to sing, but after I left you I was sorry I did so. In the night I dreamed that I saw you asleep, with a great cluster of crimson flowers on your bosom. I remained still in order that I might not awaken you. I could see your bosom rising and falling as you breathed. Suddenly I saw a hideously deformed creature creeping into the room where you lay. It was like a man, yet like a beast. I can’t describe it. But a terrible horror came upon me as I watched.