ng what seems to have been the usual thing down
in Mexico City--padding his accounts--so they got him.

"Not that they couldn't have got anybody on the staff on the same charge;
but they were after Juan. Juan had to choose between retiring to private
life or turning bandit. Having a taste for action, he did the latter."

"Do you mean like Villa?"

"Well, no, Villa's in a class by himself. You can't call a man who has
controlled a state and who has dictated to presidents, a bandit, can you?
He's on too big a scale. Pachuca took up banditry, in a gentlemanly sort
of way; at least they say he did; nobody's proved it on him. He was
undoubtedly with Villa at one time. He was with him when he stopped here
and nabbed our horses. I was away at the time. I've never seen the fellow.
Then, gossip says, they quarreled and Pachuca went back to his people in
the South. I haven't a doubt, however, that if another revolution should
break out, Johnny would climb into the band-wagon against the government
and land in the army again."

"And that's the man I undertook to drive alone in the dark with!" gasped
the girl. "Mr. Hard, promise me you'll never tell Bob?"

"I promise," replied Hard, laughing. "And here we are at breakfast. Miss
Street, this is Mr. Williams, who runs our store, Mr. Adams, of the office
force----" and so on until each had very consciously greeted the newcomer.
Scott, who sat at the end of the table, looked up and bowed, receiving a
cool little response. He returned unconcerned to his ham and eggs. If the
new arrival was going to be disagreeable, he would keep out of her way.

Breakfast went off pleasantly. The food was excellent and with the
exception of Scott, who kept his distance, everyone was quite evidently
trying to put the girl at her ease. From the train crew, who announced
their intention of running over to Conejo for her trunk, to Adams who
spoke for the privilege of taking her over the plant, and Williams, who
begged for an early opportunity to show his collection of baskets and
pottery, each had something to offer. Even the black-eyed Dolores peeped
admiringly through the hole in the wall, gathering items about the visitor
to retail to the eager ears of relatives and friends at the next _baile_.

After breakfast, Adams piloted Polly over the premises, from the corral to
the office. He showed her the automobile lying idle because an important
part was broken and the new one though ordered from the fac