She lifted a hand to check him, and Ramon stopped instantly and waited.

So far had her power over him grown.
"All time you tell me you heap love," she said in her crooning soft voice.

"Why you not talk of priest to make us marry?
You say words for love--you say no word for wife.

Why you no say--" "Esposa!" Ramon's teeth gleamed white as a wolf's in the dusk.

"When the padre marry us I maybe teach you many ways to say wife!" He laughed under his breath.