“Well, and who is Carmen?” he asked with a show of real interest.
“My little friend––the one and only honest person I’ve ever dealt with, excepting, of course, present company.”
“The amendment is accepted. And now where does this Carmen enter the game?”
“Why, she’s––surely you know about her!”
“If I did I should not ask.” 99 “Well, she is a little Colombian––”
“Colombian!”
“Yes. They say she’s an Inca princess. Came up with the engineers who went down there for Ketchim to examine the Molino properties. She lived all her life in a town called Simití until she came up here.”
Ames leaned over and looked steadily into the fire. “Never heard of the place,” he murmured dreamily.
“Well,” said the Beaubien eagerly, “she’s a––a wonderful child! I’m different when I’m with her.”
He roused from his meditations and smiled down at the woman. “Then I’d advise you not to be with her much, for I prefer you as you are.”