The men are easy to get
acquainted with, charming, courteous, gentlemanly, but I dare say
you will leave Panama without so much as meeting their wives or
sisters. But why this consuming curiosity? Has some senorita
struck your fancy?"
In spite of his effort to appear unconcerned, Kirk felt that he
looked abominably self-conscious. Without waiting for a reply,
Cortlandt continued to give him information as if he enjoyed it.
"I suppose one reason why so few Americans marry Panamanians is
that our men like at least to get acquainted with their brides
before marriage, and that is impossible in this country. A man
never sees a girl alone, you know. When he calls to court her he
wooes the whole family, who vote on him, so to speak. That doesn't
appeal to us who originated the mother-in-law joke. There aren't
many Northern chaps who would consent to select a wife by pointing
her out like a bolt of calico on a top shelf."
Kirk suddenly realized to the full how egregious his request to
call must have appeared to the Spanish girl. What a fool he had
been, to be sure! For a moment he lost himself in a contemplation
of the difficulties so unexpectedly presented. He was brought to
himself by the words:
"--to-morrow you will go to work.
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