Suddenly the poor girl sank backward, her head falling heavily upon his supporting arm, a peculiar shudder twitching her slender form.
"Mercedes!" he cried in alarm.
"Si, senor," the black eyes still wide open, but her words scarcely audible.

"Eet is so hard to see you; maybe de stars hide behin' de cloud, but, but I lofe--" "Yes, y-yes, I kn-know." She lifted her arms, then dropped them heavily upon his bowed shoulders.
"Dar is such a brightness come, senor.

Eet light everyting like eet vas de day.

Maybe I be good too, now dat a good man lofe me; maybe de God forgif all de bad because I lofe.

You tink so?
Oh, eet--eet joys me so--senor! senor!" Motionless, almost breathless, but for the sobs shaking his great figure, he held her tightly, bending low, her white cheek against his own, her head pillowed upon his arm.