He refrained from rushing out to meet them, but when they were close to his place of concealment he stepped forward, with Chiquita's name upon his lips and his arms outstretched. She drew away.
"No, no, senor!" she cried. "I sent for you because there was no other way—that is all. My father would not let you come to the house. You will not think me bold?"
"Of course not."
"I could not let you go until you knew the truth. You do not—believe it was my fault?"
"I don't know what to believe, because I don't know what has happened. All I know is that I got a note from your father. But that won't make me let you go."
She clung desperately to the Bajan woman as if afraid to trust herself near him. "Wait—wait," she said, "until you have heard it all."
Never had she appeared so beautiful as now, with her face white, her bosom heaving, as the half-light dimly revealed.
"No matter what it is, I'll never give you up," he declared, stubbornly.
"Ah! I feared you would say those very words; but you must do it, just the same. It will be hard for us both, I know—but—" She choked and shook her head as the words refused to come.
Stephanie laid a great copper hand soothingly upon her shoulder, and growled at Kirk in a hoarse, accusing voice: