All others in the room ran to the windows to behold Torres' exjt; but Enrico, quickest of all, gained a window first. And, afterward, into the middle of the room, the Queen scooped the gems from the table into both her hands, and gave the double handful to Leoncia, saying:
"From Francis and me to you and Henry your wedding present."
Yi Poon, having left the crone by the beach and crept back to peer at the house from the bushes, chuckled gratifiedly to himself when he saw the rich caballero thrown off the steps with such a will as to be sent sprawling far out into the gravel. But Yi Poon was too clever to let on that he had seen. Hurrying away, he was half down the hill ere overtaken by Torres on his horse.
The celestial addressed him humbly, and Torres, in his general rage, lifted his riding whip savagely to slash him across the face. But Yi Poon did not quail.
"The Senorita Leoncia," he said quickly, and arrested the blow. "I have great secret." Torres waited, the whip still lifted as a threat. "You like 'm some other man marry that very nice Senorita Leoncia?"
Torres dropped the whip to his side.
"Go on," he commanded harshly. "What is the secret?"
"You no want 'm other man marry that Senorita Leoncia?"
"Suppose I don't?"
"Then, suppose you have secret, you can stop other man."