"Stephanie!" exclaimed the girl. "You frightened me."
The negress strode to her, speaking rapidly in Spanish, then
turned upon Kirk.
"What do you want here?" she cried, menacingly. She had thrust her
charge behind her and now pierced him with her eyes.
"Miss Chiquita--" he began, at which that young lady broke into
another peal of silvery laughter and chattered to her servant. But
her words, instead of placating the black woman, only added to her
fury. She pointed with quivering hand to the path along the creek-
bank and cried:
"Go! Go quick, you man!" Then to her charge: "You bad, BAD! Go to
the house."
"Miss Chiquita hasn't done anything to make you huffy. I came out
of the woods yonder and she was good enough to direct me to the
road."
But Stephanie was not to be appeased. She stamped her flat foot
and repeated her command in so savage a tone that Kirk perceived
the uselessness of trying to explain. He looked appealingly at the
girl, but she merely nodded her head and motioned him to be gone.
"Very well," he said, regretfully. "Thank you for your assistance,
miss." He bowed to the little figure in blue with his best manner
and took up his gun. "This way out! No crowding, please."
"Adios, Senor Antonio," came the girl's mischievous voice, and as
he strode down the path he carried with him the memory of a
perfect oval face smiling at him past the tragic figure of the
Bajan woman.
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