"But maybe, now, ma'am, the man may not be so bad, after all? Even the devil is not so bad as he is painted."
"The devil may not be, but Black Donald is!"
"What do you think of this outlaw, young lady?" asked the peddler, turning to Capitola.
"Why, I like him!" said Cap.
"You do!"
"Yes, I do! I like men whose very names strike terror into the hearts of commonplace people!"
"Oh, Miss Black!" exclaimed Mrs. Condiment.
"Yes, I do, ma'am. And if Black Donald were only as honest as he is brave I should quite adore him. So there! And if there is one person in the world I should like to see it is Black Donald!"
"Do you really wish to see him?" asked the peddler, looking intently into the half earnest, half satirical face of the girl.
"Yes, I do wish to see him above all things!"
"And do you know what happened the rash girl who wished to see the devil!"
"No--what did?"
"She saw him!"
"Oh, if that's all, I dare it! And if wishing will bring me the sight of this notorious outlaw, lo, I wish it! I wish to see Black Donald!" said Capitola.
The peddler deliberately arose and put down his pack and his hat; then he suddenly tore off the scarf from his neck and the handkerchief from his head, lifted his chin and shook loose a great rolling mass of black hair and beard, drew himself up, struck an attitude, called up a look, and exclaimed: "Behold Black Donald!"
With a piercing shriek, Mrs. Condiment swooned and fell to the floor; the poor negroes, men and maids, were struck dumb and motionless with consternation; Capitola gazed for one lost moment in admiration and curiosity; in the meantime Black Donald quickly resumed his disguises, took up his pack and walked out of the room.
Capitola was the first to recover her presence of mind; the instinct of the huntress possessed her; starting forward, she exclaimed: "Pursue him! catch him! come with me! Cowards, will you let a robber and murderer escape?" and she ran out and overtook the outlaw in the middle of the hall. With the agile leap of a little terrier she sprang up behind him, seized the thick collar of his pea-jacket with both hands, and, drawing up her feet, hung there with all her weight, crying: "Help! murder! murder! help! Come to my aid! I've caught Black Donald!"