“Mariposa?” said Benito, with easy familiarity; “she’s at Mrs. Willers’ giving Edna her lesson. This is Wednesday, ain’t it? Well, Edna gets her lesson on Wednesday from half-past four till half-past five, and so that’s where Mariposa is. But she’s generally late ’cause she stays and talks to Mrs. Willers.”
At five o’clock, sheltered by the dripping dark, Essex began his furtive watch of the streets along which she might pass. He knew that every day was precious to him now, with Mrs. Willers among his enemies and ready to enlist Winslow Shackleton against him. Here was an opportunity to see the girl, better than the parlor of the Garcia house offered, with its officious boarders. There was absolute seclusion in these black and rain-swept streets.
He had been prowling about for an hour when he finally saw her. A dozen times he had cursed under his breath fearing she had escaped him; now his relief was such that he ran toward her, and with a rough hand swept aside her umbrella. In the clear light of the uncurtained pane she saw his face, and shrank back against the wall as if she had been struck. Then a second impulse seized her and she tried to dash past him. He seemed prepared for this and caught her by the arm through her cloak, swinging her violently back to her place against the wall.
Keeping his grip on her he said, trying to smile:
“What are you afraid of? Don’t you know me?”
“Let me go,” she said, struggling, “you’re hurting me.”
“I don’t want to hurt you,” he answered, “but I mean to keep you for a moment. I want to talk to you. And I’m going to talk to you.”
“I won’t listen to you. Let me go at once. How cowardly to hold me in this way against my will!”
She tried again to wrench her arm out of his grasp, but he held her like a vise. Her resistance of him and the repugnance in face and voice maddened him. He felt for a moment that he would like to batter her against the wall.
“There’s no use trying to get away, and telling me how much you hate me. I’ve got you here at last. I’ll not let you go till I’ve had my say.”