Winston turned hastily toward Brown, his lips quivering, his eyes grown stern.
"Who was it with Mercedes?" he questioned sharply. "Did you learn her name?"
"Sh-she told me d-d-down at San Juan," replied Stutter, striving hard to recollect. "It w-w-was N-N-Nor-vell."
With the utterance of the word the young engineer was striding rapidly toward the cabin.
CHAPTER XVIII
THE CONFESSION
Through the single unglazed window Beth Norvell saw him coming, and clutched at the casing, trembling violently, half inclined to turn and fly. This was the moment she had so greatly dreaded, yet the moment she could not avoid unless she failed to do her duty to this man. In another instant the battle had been fought and won, the die cast. She turned hastily toward her unconscious companion, grasping her arm.
"Mr. Winston is coming, Mercedes; I—I must see him this time alone."
The Mexican's great black eyes flashed up wonderingly into the flushed face bending over her, marking the heightened color, the visible embarrassment. She sprang erect, her quick glance through the window revealing the figure of the engineer striding swiftly toward them.