He was leaning over her with such apparent earnestness of voice and gesture that the color came into her cheek.For a moment she scarcely dared to lift her conscious eyes to his.When she did so,she suddenly glanced her own aside with a flash of anger.He was laughing.
"If you have any pity for me,do not leave me now,"he repeated.
"Stay a moment longer,and my fortune is made.The passengers will report us all over Red Dog as engaged.I shall be supposed to be in your father's secrets,and shall be sought after as a director of all the new companies.The 'Record'will double its circulation;poetry will drop out of its columns,advertising rush to fill its place,and I shall receive five dollars a week more salary,if not seven and a half.Never mind the consequences to yourself at such a moment.I assure you there will be none.You can deny it the next day--I will deny it--nay,more,the 'Record'itself will deny it in an extra edition of one thousand copies,at ten cents each.Linger a moment longer,Miss Mulrady.Fly,oh fly not yet.They're coming--hark!oh!By Jove,it's only Don Caesar!"It was,indeed,only the young scion of the house of Alvarado,blue-eyed,sallow-skinned,and high-shouldered,coming towards them on a fiery,half-broken mustang,whose very spontaneous lawlessness seemed to accentuate and bring out the grave and decorous ease of his rider.Even in his burlesque preoccupation the editor of the "Record"did not withhold his admiration of this perfect horsemanship.Mamie,who,in her wounded amour propre,would like to have made much of it to annoy her companion,was thus estopped any ostentatious compliment.
Don Caesar lifted his hat with sweet seriousness to the lady,with grave courtesy to the gentleman.While the lower half of this Centaur was apparently quivering with fury,and stamping the ground in his evident desire to charge upon the pair,the upper half,with natural dignity,looked from the one to the other,as if to leave the privilege of an explanation with them.But Mamie was too wise,and her companion too indifferent,to offer one.A slight shade passed over Don Caesar's face.To complicate the situation at that moment,the expected stagecoach came rattling by.With quick feminine intuition,Mamie caught in the faces of the driver and the expressman,and reflected in the mischievous eyes of her companion,a peculiar interpretation of their meeting,that was not removed by the whispered assurance of the editor that the passengers were anxiously looking back "to see the shooting."The young Spaniard,equally oblivious of humor or curiosity,remained impassive.
"You know Mr.Slinn,of the 'Record,"said Mamie,"don't you?"Don Caesar had never before met the Senor Esslinn.He was under the impression that it was a Senor Robinson that was of the "Record.""Oh,HE was shot,"said Slinn."I'm taking his place.""Bueno!To be shot too?I trust not."Slinn looked quickly and sharply into Don Caesar's grave face.He seemed to be incapable of any double meaning.However,as he had no serious reason for awakening Don Caesar's jealousy,and very little desire to become an embarrassing third in this conversation,and possibly a burden to the young lady,he proceeded to take his leave of her.From a sudden feminine revulsion of sympathy,or from some unintelligible instinct of diplomacy,Mamie said,as she extended her hand,"I hope you'll find a home for your family near here.Mamma wants pa to let our old house.Perhaps it might suit you,if not too far from your work.You might speak to ma about it.""Thank you;I will,"responded the young man,pressing her hand with unaffected cordiality.
Don Caesar watched him until he had disappeared behind the wayside buckeyes.
"He is a man of family--this one--your countryman?"It seemed strange to her to have a mere acquaintance spoken of as "her countryman"--not the first time nor the last time in her career.As there appeared no trace or sign of jealousy in her questioner's manner,she answered briefly but vaguely:
"Yes;it's a shocking story.His father disappeared some years ago,and he has just found him--a helpless paralytic--in the Sacramento Hospital.He'll have to support him--and they're very poor.""So,then,they are not independent of each other always--these fathers and children of Americans!""No,"said Mamie,shortly.Without knowing why,she felt inclined to resent Don Caesar's manner.His serious gravity--gentle and high-bred as it was,undoubtedly--was somewhat trying to her at times,and seemed even more so after Slinn's irreverent humor.She picked up her parasol,a little impatiently,as if to go.
But Don Caesar had already dismounted,and tied his horse to a tree with a strong lariat that hung at his saddle-bow.
"Let us walk through the woods towards your home.I can return alone for the horse when you shall dismiss me."They turned in among the pines that,overcrowding the hollow,crept partly up the side of the hill of Mulrady's shaft.A disused trail,almost hidden by the waxen-hued yerba buena,led from the highway,and finally lost itself in the undergrowth.It was a lovers'walk;they were lovers,evidently,and yet the man was too self-poised in his gravity,the young woman too conscious and critical,to suggest an absorbing or oblivious passion.
"I should not have made myself so obtrusive to-day before your friend,"said Don Caesar,with proud humility,"but I could not understand from your mother whether you were alone or whether my company was desirable.It is of this I have now to speak,Mamie.
Lately your mother has seemed strange to me;avoiding any reference to our affection;treating it lightly,and even as to-day,I fancy,putting obstacles in the way of our meeting alone.She was disappointed at your return from Sacramento where,I have been told,she intended you to remain until you left the country;and since your return I have seen you but twice.I may be wrong.