Excerpt: ...some indistinct syllables. Whereupon Dick called her by every endearing name that he could think of, and--Hasty footsteps! Exclamations! Shouts! They were surrounded! Twelve men or more-- stout, strong fellows, magnified by the gloom. Pepita shrieked. "Who are you?" cried Dick. "Away, or I'll shoot you all. I'm armed." "Boh!" said one of the men, contemptuously. "Off!" cried Dick, as the fellow drew near. He put himself before Pepita to protect her, and thrust his right hand in the breast-pocket of his coat. ...
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Excerpt: ...some indistinct syllables. Whereupon Dick called her by every endearing name that he could think of, and--Hasty footsteps! Exclamations! Shouts! They were surrounded! Twelve men or more-- stout, strong fellows, magnified by the gloom. Pepita shrieked. "Who are you?" cried Dick. "Away, or I'll shoot you all. I'm armed." "Boh!" said one of the men, contemptuously. "Off!" cried Dick, as the fellow drew near. He put himself before Pepita to protect her, and thrust his right hand in the breast-pocket of his coat. "Who is that with you?" said a voice. At the sound of the voice Pepita uttered a cry. Darting from behind Dick she rushed up to him. "It is Pepita, Luigi!" "Pepita! Sister! What do you mean by this?" said the man hoarsely. "Why are you so late? Who is this man?" "An American gentleman who walked out as far as this to protect me," said Pepita, bursting into tears. "An American gentleman!" said Luigi, with a bitter sneer. "He came to protect you, did he? Well; we will show him in a few minutes how grateful we are." Dick stood with folded arms awaiting the result of all this. "Luigi! dearest brother!" cried Pepita, with a shudder, "on my soul --in the name of the Holy Mother--he is an honorable American gentleman, and he came to protect me." "Oh! we know, and we will reward him." "Luigi! Luigi!" moaned Pepita, "if you hurt him I will die!" "Ah! Has it come to that?" said Luigi, bitterly. "A half-hour's acquaintance, and you talk of dying. Here, Pepita; go home with Ricardo." "I will not. I will not go a step unless you let him go." "Oh, we will let him go!" "Promise me you will not hurt him." "Pepita, go home!" cried her brother, sternly. "I will not unless you promise." "Foolish girl! Do you suppose we are going to break the laws and get into trouble? No, no. Come, go home with Ricardo. I'm going to the city." Ricardo came forward, and Pepita allowed herself to be led away. When she was out of sight and hearing Luigi approached Dick. Amid the...
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