.
[21]“Who lives around here?” he asked.
“The Enrico Solano[22] family, sir,” was the answer. “They own the entire general landscape from the sea to the Cordilleras[23] and half of the Chiriqui Lagoon[24] as well. They are prideful and fiery as cayenne pepper.[25]”
Straight to the white beach of coral sand Francis rowed, not looking over his shoulder to see if the woman remained or had vanished. When the skiff grounded, he stepped out, and with one sturdy arm lifted its nose up the sand to fasten it by its own weight. Then he turned around. The beach to the jungle was bare. He went forward confidently.
Suddenly, the woman sprang out of the green wall of jungle and with both hands seized his arm. She muttered tensely:
“Quick! Follow me!”
A moment he resisted. She shook him.
“Do as I do.”
He smiled and obeyed. Abruptly she stopped and sat down, her hand directed him to sit beside her. “Thank God!”
“My dear lady…” Francis began.
But an abrupt gesture checked him. He heard the movement of men several yards away.
She slipped away down the runway. Francis followed her, through the jungle to the beach. She stopped.
“You fool!” she cried, lifting her finger to his toothbrush moustache. “As if that could disguise you!”
“But my dear lady…” he began to protest.
“I won’t talk with you,” she answered. “Go back to your schooner, and go away… Forever. If you ever come back I shall shoot you.” She showed him a revolver.
“So I’d better go, then,” he uttered, as he turned to the skiff. She had followed him. The strange young woman, dropped to her side, was crying. Francis was about to turn to the boat, when she stopped him.
“At least you…” she began, then faltered and swallowed, “you might kiss me good-bye.[26]”
She advanced impulsively. Francis hesitated a puzzled moment, then gathered her in to receive an astounding passionate kiss on his lips. She lifted her tear-wet face and kissed him again and again.
Then she menacingly directed him with the revolver to get into the boat.
From the edge of the jungle he saw three men, armed with rifles, run toward her where she had sunk down in the sand. They caught sight of Francis, who had begun rowing. The next moment, one of the tree men on the beach, a bearded elderly man, was directing the girl’s binoculars on him. And the moment after, dropping the glasses,