stonishing, it was disturbing, it was incomprehensible. And it did
not fit in with his plans. He had intended to go North and return before
she did; then, with all his affairs in order, ask her to go away with him.
Cortez had already sent word to Alfego that Ramon was coming to Arriba
County. He could not afford a change of plans now. But the prospect of
seeing her again filled him with pleasure, sent a sort of weakening
excitement tingling through his body.

And what did it mean that he was to be allowed to call on her? Had she, by
any chance, won over her mother and brother? No; he couldn't believe it.
But he went to her house that evening shaken by great hopes and
anticipations.

She wore a black dress that left her shoulders bare, and set off the slim
perfection of her little figure. Her face was flushed and her eyes were
deep. How much more beautiful she was than the image he carried in his
mind! He had been thinking of her all this while, and yet he had forgotten
how beautiful she was. He could think of nothing to say at first, but held
her by both hands and looked at her with eyes of wonder and desire. He
felt a fool because his knees were weak and he was tremulous. But a happy
fool! The touch and the sight of her seemed to dissolve his strength, and
also the hardness and the bitterness that life had bred in him, the streak
of animal ferocity that struggle brought out in him. He was all desire,
but desire bathed in tenderness and hope. She made him feel as once long
ago he had felt in church when the music and the pageantry and sweet
odours of the place had filled his childish spirit with a strange sense of
harmony. He had felt small and unworthy, yet happy and forgiven. So now he
felt in her presence that he was black and bestial beside her, but that
possession of her would somehow wash him clean and bring him peace.

When he tried to draw her to him she shook her head, not meeting his eyes
and freed herself gently.

"No, no. I must tell you.{~HORIZONTAL ELLIPSIS~}" She led him to a seat, and went on, looking
down at a toe that played with a design in the carpet. "I must explain. I
promised mother that if she would let me see you this once to tell you, I
would never try to see you again."

There was a long silence, during which he could feel his heart pounding
and could see that she breathed quickly. Then suddenly he took her face in
both hot hands and turned it toward him, made her meet his eyes.

"But of