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serried files； a cool breeze swept down from the coast range and；
passing through them； sent their day…long heated spices through the
town。
If there was any truth in the local belief that the pious
incantation of the Angelus bell had the power of excluding all evil
influence abroad at that perilous hour within its audible radius；
and comfortably keeping all unbelieving wickedness at a distance；
it was presumably ineffective as regarded the innovating stage…
coach from Monterey that twice a week at that hour brought its
question…asking； revolver…persuading and fortune…seeking load of
passengers through the sleepy Spanish town。 On the night of the 3d
of August； 1856； it had not only brought but set down at the Posada
one of those passengers。 It was a Mr。 Ezekiel Corwin； formerly
known to these pages as 〃hired man〃 to the late Squire Blandford；
of North Liberty； Connecticut； but now a shrewd； practical； self…
sufficient； and self…asserting unit of the more cautious later
Californian immigration。 As the stage rattled away again with more
or less humorous and open disparagement of the town and the Posada
from its 〃outsiders；〃 he lounged with lazy but systematic
deliberation towards Mateo Morez； the proprietor。
〃I guess that some of your folks here couldn't direct me to Dick
Demorest's house； could ye？〃
The Senor Mateo Morez was at once perplexed and pained。 Pained at
the ignorance thus forced upon him by a caballero； perplexed as to
its intention。 Between the two he smiled apologetically but
gravely； and said： 〃No sabe； Senor。 I 'ave not understood。〃
〃No more hev I；〃 returned Ezekiel； with patronizing recognition of
his obtuseness。 〃I guess ez heow you ain't much on American。 You
folks orter learn the language if you kalkilate to keep a hotel。〃
But the momentary vision of a waistless woman with a shawl gathered
over her head and shoulders at the back door attracted his
attention。 She said something to Mateo in Spanish； and the
yellowish…white of Mateo's eyes glistened with intelligent
comprehension。
〃Ah； posiblemente； it is Don Ricardo Demorest you wish？〃
Mr。 Ezekiel's face and manner expressed a mingling of grateful
curiosity and some scorn at the discovery。 〃Wa'al；〃 he said；
looking around as if to take the entire Posada into his confidence；
〃way up in North Liberty； where I kem from； he was allus known as
Dick Demorest； and didn't tack any forrin titles to his name。 Et
wouldn't hev gone down there； I reckon； 'mongst free…born Merikin
citizens； no mor'n aliases would in courtand I kinder guess for
the same reason。 But folks get peart and sassy when they're way
from hum； and put on ez many airs as a buck nigger。 And so he
calls hisself Don Ricardo here； does he？〃
〃The Senor knows Don Ricardo？〃 said Mateo politely。
〃Ef you mean mewa'al； yesI should say so。 He was a partiklar
friend of a man I've known since he was knee…high to a grasshopper。〃
Ezekiel had actually never seen Demorest but once in his life。 He
would have scorned to lie； but strict accuracy was not essential
with an ignorant foreign audience。
He took up his carpet…bag。
〃I reckon I kin find his house； ef it's anyway handy。〃
But the Senor Mateo was again politely troubled。 The house of Don
Ricardo was of a truth not more than a mile distant。 It was even
possible that the Senor had observed it above a wall and vineyard
as he came into the pueblo。 But it was lateit was also dark； as
the Senor would himself perceiveand there was still to…morrow。
To…morrowah； it was always there！ Meanwhile there were beds of a
miraculous quality at the Posada； and a supper such as a caballero
might order in his own house。 Health； discretion； solicitude for
oneselfall pointed clearly to to…morrow。
What part of this speech Ezekiel understood affected him only as an
innkeeper's bid for custom； and as such to be steadily exposed and
disposed of。 With the remark that he guessed Dick Demorest's was
〃a good enough hotel for HIM；〃 and that he'd better be 〃getting
along there；〃 he walked down the steps； carpet…bag in hand； and
coolly departed； leaving Mateo pained； but smiling； on the doorstep。
〃An animal with a pig's headwithout doubt；〃 said Mateo；
sententiously。
〃Clearly a brigand with the liver of a chicken；〃 responded his
wife。
The subject of this ambiguous criticism； happily oblivious；
meantime walked doggedly back along the road the stage…coach had
just brought him。 It was badly paved and hollowed in the middle
with the worn ruts of a century of slow undeviating ox carts； and
the passage of water during the rainy season。 The low adobe houses
on each side； with bright cinnamon…colored tiles relieving their
dark…brown walls； had the regular outlines of their doors and
windows obliterated by the crumbling of years； until they looked as
if they had been afterthoughts of the builder； rudely opened by
pick and crowbar； and finished by the gentle auxiliary architecture
of birds and squirrels。 Yet these openings at times permitted
glimpses of a picturesque past in the occasional view of a lace…
edged pillow or silken counterpane； striped hangings； or dyed
Indian rugs； the flitting of a flounced petticoat or flower…covered
head； or the indolent leaning figure framed in a doorway of a man
in wide velvet trousers and crimson…barred serape； whose brown face
was partly hidden in a yellow nimbus of cigarette smoke。 Even in
the semi…darkness； Ezekiel's penetrating and impertinent eyes took
eager note of these facts with superior complacency； quite
unmindful； after the fashion of most critical travellers； of the
hideous contrast of his own long shapeless nankeen duster； his
stiff half…clerical brown straw hat； his wisp of gingham necktie；
his dusty boots； his outrageous carpet…bag； and his straggling
goat…like beard。 A few looked at him in grave； discreet wonder。
Whether they recognized in him the advent of a civilization that
was destined to supplant their own ignorant； sensuous； colorful
life with austere intelligence and rigid practical improvement； did
not appear。 He walked steadily on。 As he passed the low arched
door of the mission church and saw a faint light glimmering from
the side windows； he had indeed a weak human desire to go in and
oppose in his own person a debased and idolatrous superstition with
some happily chosen question that would necessarily make the
officiating priest and his congregation exceedingly uncomfortable。
But he resisted； partly in the hope of meeting some idolater on his
way to Benediction； and； in the guise of a stranger seeking
information； dropping a few unpalatable truths； and partly because
be could unbosom himself later to Demorest； who he was not
unwilling to believe had embraced Popery with his adoption of a
Spanish surname and title。
It had become quite dark when he reached the long wall that
enclosed Demorest's premises。 The wall itself excited his
resentment； not only as indicating an exclusiveness highly
objectionable in a man who had emigrated from a free State； but
because he； Ezekiel Corwin； had difficulty in discovering the
entrance。 When he succeeded； he found himself before an iron ga