her already.
"Turn around." She obeyed, like an automaton, "'Ow old are you?"

She would not lie. "Twenty-four," she answered.

"Ees pretty old," laughed Lopez. "Let me see your teeth."

"My teeth!" echoed Lucia. Did he take her for a horse?

Lopez merely nodded; and, with all the self-control she could bring to her
aid, she opened her mouth and showed her wonderful teeth.

"_Si_," remarked Lopez, evidently pleased at the sight. "An' now, 'ow much
weigh?"

"I don't know exactly," Lucia said.

"What's your name?" the bandit went on.

"Lucia." "Lucia!" he rolled the name over on his tongue, and smiled.
"Lucia!" he repeated. "Ees nice name." Then, "Come 'ere. Come 'ere!" He did
not wait for her to move this time. He put out his hand and drew her close
to him. "I would see more of you," he told her. And, to her amazement and
horror, he lifted her skirt delicately, almost tenderly. Her womanhood
revolted at his action. This barbarian! She slapped his hand. But Lopez
paid no more attention to the blow than if a child had struck him. "Not
bad," he went on, indifferently, referring to her well-turned ankle. "'Ow
you like to go wiz me to Mexico? Well?" when she did not answer. "You 'eard
what I said."

That she should be insulted thus! "But--oh, I couldn't do that!" she cried
out, in terror.

"Why not?" Lopez demanded.

"I'm--married."

"Well, we will not take ze 'usband! Just you an' me. We go to ze
bull-fight. I rob ze jewelry store for you. We get plenty dronk." She
shuddered. "Sure! I show you 'ell of a good time. Well, 'ow you say?" He
glared at her, almost winked, smiled, and let a ring of smoke curl upward.

Lucia turned away, ashamed, mortified. "I never heard of such a thing!" she
cried. Lopez laughed. "Deedn't nobody ever offer you good time before?"

"Not like this." Lucia thought if he didn't stop soon, she would shriek.

"No? You 'ave been married all your life wiz one man?"

"Yes," she told him.

"My! what a rotten life you 'ave led!" the bandit commiserated her. "But
ees not too late. I shall steel save you. But you shall not sank me. Shall
not be so damn bad for me, too!"

Definite terror seized Lucia now. She knew by his tone, by his every
gesture, that he was not fooling. She had heard, had read, of men like this
Lopez. They were thick along the border. He meant business. Morgan had not
exaggerated the danger of coming down here.

"But you wouldn't do that," she cried out.

"Why not?" L