Suddenly in the silent pause she laughed.
"Si, si; now I know all--you lofe dis man.

_Bueno_! I see eet as eet vas." The telltale red blood swept to the roots of Miss Norvell's hair, but her indignant reply came swift and vehement.
"No, stop! Never dare to speak such words.

I am not like that! Can you think of nothing except the cheap masquerade of love?
Have you never known any true, pure friendship existing between man and woman?
This mining engineer has been good to me; he has proved himself a gentleman.

It is not love which makes me so anxious now to serve him, to warn him of imminent danger--it is gratitude, friendship, common humanity.

Is it impossible for you to comprehend such motives ?" The other touched her for the first time with extended hand, her face losing much of its previous savagery.
"I know so ver' leettle 'bout such kinds of peoples, senorita," she explained regretfully, her voice low, "de kind vat are good and gentle and vidout vantin' somting for eet.