actly as
suited him best. The rancher's ideal of an agreeable old age comprised
three important items--to wit, complete leisure, unlimited freedom of
speech, and two pints of rye whisky daily. He enjoyed them all
impartially, until, about a year before this story opens, he died
profanely and comfortably. He had a big funeral, and was sincerely
mourned by a coterie of gouty old Indian-fighters.

Las Palmas had changed greatly since Austin, senior, painfully scrawled
his slanting signature to the deed. It was a different ranch now to
what the old man had known; indeed, it was doubtful if he would have
recognized it, for even the house was new.

Alaire had some such thought in mind as she rode up to the gate on the
afternoon following her departure from the water-hole, and she felt a
thrill of pride at the acres of sprouting corn, the dense green fields
of alfalfa so nicely fitted between their fences. They were like clean,
green squares of matting spread for the feet of summer.

A Mexican boy came running to care for her horse, a Mexican woman
greeted her as she entered the wide, cool hall and went to her room.
Alaire had ridden far. Part of the night had been spent at the Balli
goat-ranch, the remainder of the journey had been hot and dusty, and
even yet she was not wholly recovered from her experience of the
outward trip.

The house servants at Las Palmas were, on the whole, well trained, and
Mrs. Austin's periodic absences excited no comment; in the present
instance, Dolores fixed a bath and laid out clean clothes with no more
than a running accompaniment of chatter concerned with household
affairs. Dolores, indeed, was superior to the ordinary servant; she was
a woman of some managerial ability, and she combined the duties of
personal maid with those of housekeeper. She was a great gossip, and
possessed such a talent for gaining information that through her
husband, Benito, the range boss, she was able to keep her mistress in
fairly intimate touch with ranch matters.

Alaire, however, was at this moment in no mood to resume the tiresome
details of management; she quickly dismissed her servitor and proceeded
to revel in the luxury of a cool bath, after which she took a nap.
Later, as she leisurely dressed herself, she acknowledged that it was
good to feel the physical comforts of her own house, even though her
home-coming gave her no especial joy. She made it a religious practice
to dress for dinner, regardless o