Page:Under MacArthur in Luzon.djvu/79

Rh woman's voice. "My father left me those lands, and you shall not take them from me."

"Fool, the lands are mine!" stormed the man. "And if you will not give up the box willingly, then I will take it from you."

"Never!"

"And why not? We are alone here—not a soul is within hearing. If I cannot obtain that box by fair means, I will take it by foul. Do you not know that the Americanos are in this neighborhood, and that they have shot down more than one Tagalog woman? "

"And you would shoot me and let the authorities suspect it was the work of the Americanos?" The woman gave a scream. "No! no! you shall not! you dare not!"

"I dare do anything, Inez Garabella, when it pleases me. Now, be quick. Will you give me the box, or not?"

"It is mine, you know it is mine,—and the lands are mine, too. Oh, Barnabas, how can you be so cruel—and after you promised my dead father you would take care of me—"

"Bah! take care of you, you ugly thing? No, you can go where you please and do what you please.