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good sense here asserted itself。
〃But you are far from strong yet； in fact； the doctor says you
might have a relapse at any moment； and you havethat is； you SEEM
to have no money；〃 she said gravely。
〃That's true；〃 he said； quickly。 〃I remember I was quite played
out when I entered the settlement； and I think I had parted from
even some little trifles I carried with me。 I am afraid I was a
poor find to those who picked me up； and you ought to have taken
warning。 But the doctor has offered to lend me enough to take me
to San Francisco； if only to give a fair trial to the machine he
has set once more a…going。〃
〃Then you have friends in San Francisco？〃 said the young girl
quickly。 〃Those who know you？ Why not write to them first； and
tell them you are here？〃
〃I don't think your postmaster here would be preoccupied with
letters for John Baxter； if I did；〃 he said； quietly。 〃But here
is the doctor waiting。 Good…by。〃
He stood looking at her in a peculiar； yet half…resigned way； and
held out his hand。 For a moment she hesitated。 Had he been less
independent and strong； she would have refused to let him gohave
offered him some slight employment at the ranch； for oddly enough；
in spite of the suspicion that he was concealing something； she
felt that she would have trusted him； and he would have been a help
to her。 But he was not only determined； but SHE was all the time
conscious that he was a totally different man from the one she had
taken care of； and merely ordinary prudence demanded that she
should know something more of him first。 She gave him her hand
constrainedly； he pressed it warmly。
Dr。 Duchesne drove up； helped him into the buggy； smiled a good…
natured but half…perfunctory assurance that he would look after
〃her patient；〃 and drove away。
The whole thing was over； but so unexpectedly； so suddenly； so
unromantically； so unsatisfactorily； that； although her common
sense told her that it was perfectly natural； proper； business…
like； and reasonable； and； above all； final and complete； she did
not know whether to laugh or be angry。 Yet this was her parting
from the man who had but a few days ago moved her to tears with a
single hopeless gesture。 Well； this would teach her what to
expect。 Well； what had she expected？ Nothing！
Yet for the rest of the day she was unreasonably irritable； and；
if the conjointure be not paradoxical； severely practical； and
inhumanly just。 Falling foul of some presumption of Miguel's；
based upon his prescriptive rights through long service on the
estate； with the recollection of her severity towards his
antagonist in her mind； she rated that trusted retainer with such
pitiless equity and unfeminine logic that his hot Latin blood
chilled in his veins； and he stood livid on the road。 Then；
informing Dick Shipley with equally relentless calm that she might
feel it necessary to change ALL her foremen unless they could agree
in harmony； she sought the dignified seclusion of her castle。 But
her respected parents； whose triumphant relief at the stranger's
departure had emboldened them to await her return in their porch
with bended bows of invective and lifted javelins of aggression；
recoiled before the resistless helm of this cold…browed Minerva；
who galloped contemptuously past them。
Nevertheless； she sat late that night at her desk。 The cold moon
looked down upon her window； and lit up the empty porch where her
silent guest had mutely watched her。 For a moment she regretted
that he had recovered his reason； excusing herself on the practical
ground that he would never have known his dependence； and he would
have been better cared for by her。 She felt restless and uneasy。
This slight divergence from the practical groove in which her life
had been set had disturbed her in many other things； and given her
the first views of the narrowness of it。
Suddenly she heard a step in the porch。 The lateness of the hour；
perhaps some other reason； seemed to startle her； and she half
rose。 The next moment the figure of Miguel appeared at the
doorway； and with a quick； hurried look around him； and at the open
window； he approached her。 He was evidently under great excitement；
his hollow shaven cheek looked like a waxen effigy in the mission
church； his yellow； tobacco…stained eye glittered like phosphorescent
amber； his lank gray hair was damp and perspiring； but more striking
than this was the evident restraint he had put upon himself；
pressing his broad…brimmed sombrero with both of his trembling
yellow hands against his breast。 The young girl cast a hurried
glance at the open window and at the gun which stood in the corner；
and then confronted him with clear and steady eyes； but a paler
cheek。
Ah； he began in Spanish； which he himself had taught her as a
child； it was a strange thing； his coming there to…night； but；
then； mother of God！ it was a strange； a terrible thing that she
had done to himold Miguel； her uncle's servant： he that had known
her as a muchacha； he that had lived all his life at the ranchay；
and whose fathers before him had lived there all THEIR lives and
driven the cattle over the very spot where she now stood； before
the thieving Americans came here！ But he would be calm； yes； the
senora should find him calm； even as she was when she told him to
go。 He would not speak。 No； heMiguelwould contain himself；
yes； he HAD mastered himself； but could he restrain others？ Ah；
yes； OTHERSthat was it。 Could he keep Manuel and Pepe and
Dominguez from talking to the milkmanthat leaking sieve； that
gabbling brute of a Shipley； for whose sake she had cast off her
old servant that very day？
She looked at him with cold astonishment； but without fear。 Was he
drunk with aguardiente； or had his jealousy turned his brain？ He
continued gasping； but still pressing his hat against his breast。
Ah； he saw it all！ Yes； it was to…day； the day he left。 Yes； she
had thought it safe to cast Miguel off nownow that HE was gone！
Without in the least understanding him； the color had leaped to her
cheek； and the consciousness of it made her furious。
〃How dare you？〃 she said； passionately。 〃What has that stranger to
do with my affairs or your insolence？〃
He stopped and gazed at her with a certain admiring loyalty。 〃Ah！
so；〃 he said； with a deep breath； 〃the senora is the niece of her
uncle。 She does well not to fear HIMa dog；〃with a slight
shrug；〃who is more than repaid by the senora's condescension。 HE
dare not speak！〃
〃Who dare not speak？ Are you mad？〃 She stopped with a sudden
terrible instinct of apprehension。 〃Miguel；〃 she said in her
deepest voice； 〃answer me； I command you！ Do you know anything of
this man？〃
It was Miguel's turn to recoil from his mistress。 〃Ah； my God！ is
it possible the senora has not suspect？〃
〃Suspect！〃 said Josephine； haughtily； albeit her proud heart was
bea