"
"I will!" His eyes shone at her, his erect form outlined against the
black of the earth and the gleam of the stars was eloquent of mastery.
"There will come a time when you will see life as I see it. . . . And
now, for the last time, will you give me your promise, Virginia? It is
forced upon you; you will be blameless in giving it. Will you do so?"
She only shook her head, her lips trembling, not trusting her
voice. . . . And then, in a sort of daze, she knew that they had
turned off to the left, that no longer was San Juan ahead of them, that
they were riding toward the gloomy bulwark of the mountains.
CHAPTER XX
FLUFF AND BLACK BILL
Fluff and Black Bill were quarrelling.
Elmer, while Norton and Virginia were on their way from San Juan to Las
Estrellas, had dropped in at the hotel to see his sister. He found
upon her office table the card which she always left for him; this
merely informed him that she was "out on a case at Las Estrellas."
Elmer had come for her purposing to suggest a call upon the Engles.
For not yet had he summoned the hardihood to present himself alone at
Florrie's home. Now, disgruntled, seeing plainly that Virginia would
never get back in time, he went out on the veranda and took solace from
the pipe to which he had grown fairly accustomed.
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