tell me you were going to be a soldier?"

He grasped her hand tighter, but made no reply.

"I say, why did not you tell me first?"

"And if I had told you, what then?"

"Why, I should not have let you do it, you savage. If you had only
asked me, I might be willing to marry you next week. But as it is, I
am not going to be left a widow, I can tell you."

"Inez, I don't believe you care whether I am killed of not. I do not
understand you at all."

The girl's eyes filled, and her lip quivered with emotion. "Mañuel do
you think me a brute? There is nobody to love Inez but her father and
you. I am not cold-hearted."

"You speak truth, Inez; and my uncle will not live very long, for he
has seen many years. When he is gone, there will be nobody to take
care of you but me; so the sooner we are married the better."

"Not so. You must come and see us as often as you can till the war is
over; but I will marry no one now."

"Will you promise it shall be as soon as the war is over?"

Inez coquettishly tossed her beautiful head, and advancing to the
fire, gaily exclaimed--"While we talked the tortillas burned. Come,