She clutched his arm.
"No," she cried, "you must not! I love him! I'm going to marry him!"
"Ees eet true?" gasped Murillo, in surprise. "I thought he was——"
"Oh, he has a silly notion that he cares for your black-eyed Juanita. He's mistaken, that's all. Keep her away from him a week, and he'll forget her. Give me a week, and I'll win him back again. Instead of trying to harm him, why don't you carry off the girl?"
"How can eet be done?"
"She's afraid of you. If you can get her away from here, I think she will cow down and do anything you say. I don't believe she has real courage. I'll help you."
"How?"
"Let me think. You must take her away to-night. Bring a carriage. Stop near Merry Home, but far enough away not to be discovered. Come to the house at an hour past midnight. You know the back way? If you don't, you can find it. I'll be waiting for you. I'll let you in, and I'll help you take that girl out of the house."
He looked at her with an expression of mingled doubt and admiration.
"You are a woman," he said. "How you dare to do such a theeng?"