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the question if it ought not to be issued only on Duchesne's
prescription。 When I made that point to him squarely； he grinned
again； and wanted to know if I calculated to put the same
restriction on the sale of patent medicines and drugs generally。〃
〃'N powder 'n shot；〃 contributed the indifferent man。
〃Perhaps you'd better take a look at the liquor； Saunders；〃 said
Parks； dismissing the ethical question。 〃YOU know more about it
than we do。 It ought to be the best。〃
Saunders went behind the counter； drew out two demijohns； and；
possibly from the force of habit； selected THREE mugs from the
crockery and poured some whiskey into each； before he could check
himself。
〃Perhaps we had better compare tastes；〃 said Brace blandly。 They
all sipped their liquor slowly and in silence。 The decision was
favorable。 〃Better try some with water to see how it mixes；〃 said
Saunders； lazily filling the glasses with a practiced hand。 This
required more deliberation； and they drew their chairs to the table
and sat down。 A slight relaxation stole over the thoughtful faces
of Brace and Parks； a gentle perspiration came over the latter's
brow； but the features and expression of Saunders never changed。
The conversation took a broader range； politics and philosophy
entered into it； literature and poetry were discussed by Parks and
Brace； Saunders still retaining the air of a dispassionate
observer； ready to be convinced； but abstaining from argumentand
occasionally replenishing the glasses。 There was felt to be no
inconsistency between their present attitude and their previous
conversation； rather it proved to them that gentlemen could
occasionally indulge in a social glass together without frequenting
a liquor saloon。 This was stated with some degree of effusion by
Parks and assented to with singular enthusiasm by Brace； Saunders
nodding。 It was also observed with great penetration by Brace that
in having really GOOD； specially selected liquor like that； the
great danger of the intoshikat'n 'fxhe corrected himself with
great deliberation； 〃the intoxicating effects〃of adulterated
liquors sold in drinking saloons was obviated。 Mr。 Brace thought
also that the vitiated quality of the close air of a crowded saloon
had a great deal to do with itthe excess of carbonhiche
begged their pardoncarbonic acid gas undoubtedly rendered people
〃slupid and steepy。〃 〃But here； from the open window；〃 he walked
dreamily to it and leaned out admiringly towards the dark landscape
that softly slumbered without； 〃one could drink in only health and
poetry。〃
〃Wot's that？〃 said Saunders； looking up。
〃I said health and poetry；〃 returned Brace with some dignity。 〃I
repeat〃
〃No。 I mean wot's that noise？ Listen。〃
They listened so breathlessly that the soft murmur of the river
seemed to flow in upon them。 But above it quite distinctly came
the regular muffled beat of horse…hoofs in the thick dust and the
occasional rattle of wheels over rocky irregularities。 But still
very far and faint； and fading like the noises in a dream。 Brace
drew a long breath； Parks smiled and softly closed his eyes。 But
Saunders remained listening。
〃That was over OUR road； near the turnpike！〃 he said musingly。
〃That's queer； thar ain't any of the boys away to…night； and that's
a wagon。 It's some one comin' here。 Hark to that！ There it is
again。〃
It was the same sound but more distinct and nearer； and then was
lost again。
〃They're dragging through the river sand that's just abreast o'
Mallory's。 Stopped there； I reckon。 No！ pushin' on again。 Hear
'em grinding along the gravel over Hamilton's trailin's？ Stopped
aginthat's before Somerville's shanty。 What's gone o' them now？
Maybe they've lost the trail and got onto Gray's slide through the
woods。 It's no use lookin'； ye couldn't see anything in this
nigger dark。 Hol' on！ If they're comin' through the woods； ye'll
hear 'em again jest off here。 Yes！ by thunder！ here they are。〃
This time the clatter and horse…hoofs were before them； at the very
door。 A man's voice cried； 〃Whoa！〃 and there was a sudden bound on
the veranda。 The door opened； for an instant the entrance appeared
to be filled with a mass of dazzling white flounces； and a figure
which from waist to crown was impenetrably wrapped and swathed in
black lace。 Somewhere beneath its folds a soft Spanish； yet
somewhat childish voice cried； 〃Tente。 Hol' on；〃 turned and
vanished。 This was succeeded by the apparition of a silent；
swarthy Mexican； who dropped a small trunk at their feet and
vanished also。 Then the white…flounced and black…laced figure
reappeared as the departing wagon rattled away； glided to the
centre of the room； placed on the trunk a small foot； whose low…
quartered black satin slipper seemed to be held only by the toe；
threw back with both hands the black lace mantilla； which was
pinned by a rose over her little right ear； and with her hands
slightly extended and waving softly said； 〃Mira caballeros！ 'Ere
we are again； boys！ Viva！ Aow ees your mother？ Aow ees that for
high？ Behold me！ just from Pike！〃
Parks and Brace； who had partly risen； fell back hopelessly in
their chairs again and gazed at the figure with a feeble smile of
vacuous pain and politeness。 At which it advanced； lowered its
black eyes mischievously over the table and the men who sat there；
poured out a glass of the liquor； and said： 〃I look towards you；
boys！ Don't errise。 You are just a leetle weary； eh？ A leetle。
Oh yes！ a leetle tired of crookin' your elboweh？ Don't care if
the school keep！eh？ Don't want any pie！ Want to go 'ome； eh？〃
But here Mr。 Parks rose with slight difficulty； but unflinching
dignity； and leaned impressively over the table； 〃May I ashkmay I
be permitted to arsk； madam； to what we may owe the pleasure of
thishof thisvisit？〃
Her face and attitude instantly changed。 Her arms dropped and
caught up the mantilla with a quick but not ungraceful sweep； and
in apparently a single movement she was draped； wrapped； and
muffled from waist to crown as before。 With a slight inclination
of her head； she said in quite another voice： 〃Si； senor。 I have
arrive here because in your whole great town of Booki there is not
so much as one〃she held up a small brown finger〃as much as ONE
leetle light or fire like thees； be…cause in this grand pueblo
there is not one peoples who have not already sleep in his bed but
thees！ Bueno！ I have arrive all the same like a leetle bird； like
the small fly arrive to the light！ not to YOUonly to THE LIGHT！
I go not to my casa for she is dark； and tonight she have nothing
to make the fire or bed。 I go not to the 'otelthere is not ONE〃
the brown finger again uplifted〃'otel in Booki！ I make the
'otelthe Fondain my hoose mananato…morrow！ Tonight I and
Sanchicha make the bed for us 'ere。 Sanchicha； she stands herself
now over in the street。 We have mooch sorrow we have to make the
caballeros mooch tr…rouble to make disposition of his house。 But
what will you？〃
There was another awkward silence； and then Saunders； who had been
examining the intruder with languid criticism； removed his pipe
from his mouth and said quietly：
〃That's the woman you're looking forJovita Mendez！〃
PART II。
The rest of that interview has not been recorded。 Suffice it that
a few minutes later Parks； Brace； and Saunders left the Emporium；
and passed the night in the latter's cabin； leaving the Emporium
in possession of Miss Mendez and her peon servant； that at the
earliest dawn the two women and their baggage were transferred to
the old adobe house； where； however； a Mexican workman had already
arrived； and with a basketful of red tiles was making it habitable。
Buckeye； which was popularly supposed to sleep with one eye on the
river； and always first repaired there in the morning to wash and
work； was only awake to the knowledge of the invasion at noon。 The
meeting so confidently spoken of the night before had NOT been
called。 Messrs。 Parks and Brace were suffering from headaches
undoubtedly a touch of tule chill。 Saunders； at work with his
partner in Eagle Bar； was as usual generous with apparently
irrelevant facts on all subjectsbut that of the strangers。 It
would seem as if the self…constituted Committee of Safety had done
nothing。
And nothing whatever seemed to happen！ Thompson of Angels； smoking
a meditative pipe at noon on the trail noticed the repairing of the
old adobe house； casually spoke of it on his return to his work；
without apparent concern or exciting any comment。 The two
Billinger brothers saw Jovita Mendez at the door of her house an
hour later； were themselves seen conversing with her by Jim Barker；
but on returning to their claim； neither they nor Barker exhibited
any insurrectionary excitement。 Later on； Shuttleworth was found
in possession of two bundles of freshly rolled corn…husk cigarettes；
and promised to get his partner some the next day； but that
gentleman anticipated him。 By nightfall nearly all Buckeye had
passed in procession before the little house without exhibiting any
indignation or protest。 That night； however； it seemed as if the
events