"You—Chad!" she cried. "I thought—"
"Well, I ain't. I'm here," he broke in roughly. "And you don't look glad to death to see me either."
Her gentle eyes reproached him. "You're always welcome. You know that."
His harsh face softened a little as he stepped forward and kissed her. "Maybe I do, but maybe I like to hear you say so. Girl, I've come to take you with me."
"With you? Where?" Alarm was in the eyes that flashed to meet his.
"To Noche Buena."
"But—what for?"
"Ain't it reason enough that I want you to go? We can get married at Arixico to-night."
She broke into protest disjointed and a little incoherent. "You promised me that—that I could have all the time I wanted. You said—you said—"
"That was when I was here to look after you. But I'll be staying in Sonora quite a while the way my business affairs look. I need you—and what's the sense of waiting, anyhow?"