Father, this man has come for me. He loves me. Will you marry us,
before Longorio arrives?"
"Alaire!" Dave exclaimed.
She stilled him with a gesture. "Quick! Will you?"
Father O'Malley was bewildered. "I don't understand," he
expostulated.
"Nor I," echoed Dave.
"You don't need to understand. I know what I'm doing. I've thought
of a way to save us all."
Through Dave's mind flashed the memory of that thing which had
haunted him and made his life a nightmare. An incoherent refusal
was upon his lips, but Alaire's face besought him; it was shining
with a strange, new ecstasy, and he could not bring himself to
deny her. Of what her plan consisted he had only the dimmest idea,
but he assured himself that it could by no possibility succeed.
After all, what did it matter? he asked himself. They were
trapped. This might serve, somehow, to cheat Longorio, and--Alaire
would be his wife.
"Very well," he stammered, weakly. "What are you thinking of?"
"I haven't thought it all out yet, but--"
At that moment Dolores returned, bringing with her the three
black-haired, black-shawled house servants, bundling them through
the door and ranging them along the wall.
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