Beneath the Darkness

"Oh, please don't, señor. Eet hurt me mooch to see you feel dat bad.
Sure eet does. Eet vas not de balls vat hurt--no, no! I know dey not
reach to you eef dey hit me de first. Eet joys me to do dat--sure eet
does."

"Little g-girl, little g-girl," he faltered, helplessly, his great
hands trembling as he touched her. "It w-was you I t-tried ter save.
I-I ran th-th-this way so th-they wouldn't sh-shoot toward yer."

She smiled happily up at him, softly stroking his hair, even while the
lines of her face twitched from pain.

"Sure I know, señor. You von brav', good man--maybe now you all'ays
tink I brav', good also. Dat be 'nough for Mercedes. Oh, dis be de
bettar vay--de great God knows; sure He knows. Now, señor, I be yours
all'ays, forever. I so happy to be lofed by good man. I just look in
your face, señor, and tink, He lofe me, he ask me marry him. Maybe I
not nevah do dat, for fear he tire, for fear he hear tings not nice
about Mercedes. Dat make me sorrow, make me shame before him. Si, I
know how it vould be. I know de Americanos; dey ver' proud of dare
vives, dey fight for de honor. So eet make me mooch 'fraid, I no vort'
eet--no, no! I know not den de bettar vay. But de good Mother of God
she show me, she tell me vat do--I run quick; I die for de man I lofe,
an' den he all'ays know dat I lofe him; he know den bettar as eef I
marry him. Si, si, eet vas all joy for Mercedes, now, my señor. Eet
not hurt, eet make me glad to know."