"Patience takes most of the tricks in life, I've learned, so I waited
until I heard that he was all right again"--he jerked his thumb toward
the cabin--"and then I waited until you had time to think, and that's
all I'm here to ask you to do, my girl, think."
Again he gazed deeply at her, nodding his head as if to emphasize his
words. Gallito could be impressive, even magnetic when he chose, and he
chose now.
"I can think a-plenty," returned Pearl curtly, "but what is it you want
me to study about now? If it's about signing up with Sweeney, I can tell
you once and forever that it's no use. You're just wasting your breath."
His face darkened a little, his eyes gave one quick, wicked flash, but
he controlled his temper. "Maybe, maybe," he said placatingly, "but that
ain't all I came to talk about. I guess I've lived long enough to know
that it's no use to talk to a woman about her interests when she's lost
her head about some man." He showed his teeth in a wolfish and
contemptuous smile. "No, I ain't such a fool as to waste my breath that
way. You are an awful headstrong and wilful girl. Carraja! I do not know
where you get such qualities. But somewhere back in your head you have
inherited from me, your father, a grain of sense and reason, and because
of that I come here to-day, not to try and coax you, no, I know better
than that, but to talk to you as man to man." He paused here as if to
let some underlying meaning in his words impress her, and she, conscious
of this, felt a sudden shiver of apprehension run over her, a momentary
despair, as if she were being entangled in some yet invisible net whose
meshes were being drawn tight about her.
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