Running blindly through the darkness toward the sound of struggle came
Hicks and Winston. They caught no more than faint glimpses of
scattering, fleeing figures, but promptly opened fire, scarcely
comprehending as yet what it all meant. Hicks, dashing recklessly
forward, tripped over a recumbent figure in the darkness, and the two
paused irresolutely, perceiving no more of the enemy. Then it was that
Stutter Brown struggled slowly up upon his knees, still closely
clasping the slender figure of the stricken girl within his arms. She
neither moved nor moaned, but beneath the revealing starlight her eyes
were widely opened, gazing up into his face, appearing marvellously
brilliant against the unusual pallor of her cheeks. Her breath came
short and sharp as if in pain, yet the lips smiled up at him.
"Oh, God!" he sobbed, "it was you!"
"Si, señor," the words faltering forth, almost as if in mockery of his
own hesitating speech. "Once I said maybe I show you. I not know how
den--now I know."
"Sh-show me, little girl--in God's n-name, show me wh-what?"
"Eef eet vas true dat I lofe you, señor. Now you tink eet vas so; now
you all'ays know vat vas in de heart of Mercedes. Dis bettah vay as
talk, señor--nevah you doubt no more."
He could only continue to look at her, the intense agony within his
eyes beyond all expression of speech, his words caught helpless in the
swelling throat. She lifted one hand in weak caress, gently touching
his cheek with her white fingers.
"Oh, please don't, señor. Eet hurt me mooch to see you feel dat bad.
Sure eet does. Eet vas not de balls vat hurt--no, no! I know dey not
reach to you eef dey hit me de first. Eet joys me to do dat--sure eet
does."
"Little g-girl, little g-girl," he faltered, helplessly, his great
hands trembling as he touched her. "It w-was you I t-tried ter save.
I-I ran th-th-this way so th-they wouldn't sh-shoot toward yer."
She smiled happily up at him, softly stroking his hair, even while the
lines of her face twitched from pain.
"Sure I know, señor. You von brav', good man--maybe now you all'ays
tink I brav', good also. Dat be 'nough for Mercedes. Oh, dis be de
bettar vay--de great God knows; sure He knows. Now, señor, I be yours
all'ays, forever. I so happy to be lofed by good man. I just look in
your face, señor, and tink, He lofe me, he ask me marry him. Maybe I
not nevah do dat, for fear he tire, for fear he hear tings not nice
about Mercedes. Dat make me sorrow, make me shame before him. Si, I
know how it vould be. I know de Americanos; dey ver' proud of dare
vives, dey fight for de honor. So eet make me mooch 'fraid, I no vort'
eet--no, no! I know not den de bettar vay. But de good Mother of God
she show me, she tell me vat do--I run quick; I die for de man I lofe,
an' den he all'ays know dat I lofe him; he know den bettar as eef I
marry him. Si, si, eet vas all joy for Mercedes, now, my señor. Eet
not hurt, eet make me glad to know."