"Oh!" She raised her hand and shook her head to express the absolute impossibility of such a thing. "Already I have been terrible. What will Stephanie say?"
"You've been nothing of the sort, and who is Stephanie?"
"She is a big black woman—very fierce. It is because of Stephanie that the fairies have gone away from here."
"If we wait a minute, maybe they'll come out."
"No. I have waited many times and I never saw them."
"Somehow I feel sure we'll see 'em this time," he urged. Then, as she shook her head doubtfully: "Good heavens! Don't you want to see 'em? I'm so tired that I must sit down."
The corners of her eyes wrinkled as she said, "You are not very strong, senor. Have you been ill?"
"Yes—no. Not exactly." He led her to a bamboo bench beside the palm hut. "I've been hunting. Now won't you please tell me how you chanced to be here? I thought these country places were unoccupied at this season."
"So they are. But, you see, I am doing a penance."
"Penance! You?"