I'd just like to rob a general
store."
Lopez furrowed his brows and lost himself in thought. Later, while
the others were talking, he drew Ramos aside and for a while they
kept their heads together; then they invited Judson to join their
council.
It was not until perhaps an hour later that O'Reilly had a chance
for a confidential talk with Norine, for in the mean time other
officers came to pay their respects. But when the last one had
reluctantly departed he said:
"I've been talking to Joe about you, and I don't think it's right
for you to be running around alone this way."
"You know how mad that sort of talk makes me," she warned him.
"Yes. Just the same, I'll never feel easy until you're safe home
again. And I'll never stop bothering you until--"
"In the first place, I'm not alone. I take a woman with me
everywhere, a Mrs. Ruiz."
"Bah! She's no more of a chaperon than I am."
Norine uttered an impatient exclamation. "Is this a time to
consider such things?"
"Oh, I dare say the nature of your work is unconventional and
excuses a good deal, but you don't understand the Latin mind as I
do. These Cubans have different standards than ours. They're very
apt to think--"
"I don't care what they think," the girl declared, "so long as _I_
think I'm doing right. That's final."
There was a brief pause.
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