“It you can, oh, if you can, dear brother!” exclaimed the maiden.
“I have solved many an enigma far more difficult than this one of yours, child. You say that you know this young miner will come here?”
“He will; I feel it.”
“And what would you say, my sister, if he should come to you and ask you to be his bride—to mate with him, the digger in the earth?”
“Felipe, what do you mean? You frighten me!”
“This. I mean that this Marcos Sayosa loves you. And more; that you love him!” exclaimed Canelo, bitterly.
“Oh, brother, surely you are wrong. He does not love me, nor do I love him—in the way you mean. And yet he is very dear to me; I know it, and perhaps I do love him. I don’t know; it is so strange—so sudden; you have frightened me!” cried Luisa, burying her face in her hands, and sobbing convulsively.
“Pardon me, sister—dear Luisa; I was mad—cruel, to speak so fiercely,” exclaimed Felipe, gently raising her head, and wiping the tears tenderly away. “See, let this be my apology,” softly pressing a kiss upon her brow.
“Thank you, Felipe; I was very foolish,” smiled Luisa, through her tears, “but I could not bear that you should speak harshly to me. I may love this stranger; perhaps I do, as you say so; but rest assured that I love you far better—a thousand times better than him!”
“If I could believe that you would say this after you have heard my confession, then I would be happy—oh, so happy!”