No. I have a duty to my country. I said, 'Luis, you are a brave man,
and fear is a stranger to you, but, nevertheless, you must have regard
for the Fatherland'; so I took measures to protect myself in case of
eventualities."

"How?"

"By bringing with me some of my troopers. Oh, they are peaceable
fellows!" he declared, quickly; "and they are doubtless enjoying
themselves with our friend and sympathizer, Morales."

"Where?" asked Alaire.

"I left them at your pumping-plant, senora." Paloma Jones sat down
heavily in the nearest chair. "But you need have no uneasiness. They
are quiet and orderly; they will molest nothing; no one would believe
them to be soldiers. I take liberties with the laws and the customs of
your country, dear lady, but--you would not care for a man who allowed
such considerations to stand in his way, eh?"

Alaire answered, sharply: "It was a very reckless thing to do, and--you
must not remain here."

"Yes, yes!" Paloma eagerly agreed. "You must go back at once."

But Longorio heard no voice except Alaire's. In fact, since entering
the living-room he had scarcely taken his eyes from her. Now he drew
his evenly arched brows together in a plaintive frown, saying, "You are
inhospitable!" Then his expression lightened. "Or is it," he asked--"is
it that you are indeed apprehensive for me?"

Alaire tried to speak quietly. "I should never forgive myself if you
came to harm here at my ranch."

Longorio sighed. "And I hoped for a warmer welcome--especially since I
have done you another favor. You saw that hombre who came with me?"

"Yes."

"Well, you would never guess that it is your Jose Sanchez, whom I
prevailed upon to return to your employ. But it is no other; and he
comes to beg your forgiveness for leaving. He was distracted at the
news of his cousin's murder, and came to me--"

"His cousin was not murdered."

"Exactly! I told him so when I had learned the facts. A poor fellow
this Panfilo--evidently a very bad man, indeed--but Jose admired him
and was harboring thoughts of revenge. I said to him: 'Jose, my boy, it
is better to do nothing than to act wrongly. Since it was God's will
that your cousin came to a bad end, why follow in his footsteps? You
will not make a good soldier. Go back to your beautiful employer, be
loyal to her, and think no more about this unhappy affair.' It required
some argument, I assure you, but--he is here. He comes to ask your
forgiveness and to resume his pos