overhead. The druggist observed to young Vacca as he passed by that he
thought them pretty fresh, just the same.

"I'm busy, I'm very busy," returned the young man, continuing on his
way, still frowning and paring the stump of candle.

"Two quarts 'n' a half. Two quarts 'n' a half."

"Ah, yes, in a way, that's so; and then, again, in a way, it ISN'T. I
know better."

All along one side of the barn were a row of stalls, fourteen of them,
clean as yet, redolent of new cut wood, the sawdust still in the cracks
of the flooring. Deliberately the druggist went from one to the other,
pausing contemplatively before each. He returned down the line and again
took up his position by the door of the feed room, nodding his head
judicially, as if satisfied. He decided to put on his gloves.

By now it was quite dark. Outside, between the barn and the ranch houses
one could see a group of men on step-ladders lighting the festoons of
Japanese lanterns. In the darkness, only their faces appeared here and
there, high above the ground, seen in a haze of red, strange, grotesque.
Gradually as the multitude of lanterns were lit, the light spread.
The grass underfoot looked like green excelsior. Another group of men
invaded the barn itself, lighting the lamps and lanterns there. Soon
the whole place was gleaming with points of light. Young Vacca, who had
disappeared, returned with his pockets full of wax candles. He resumed
his whittling, refusing to answer any questions, vociferating that he
was busy.

Outside there was a sound of hoofs and voices. More guests had arrived.
The druggist, seized with confusion, terrified lest he had put on his
gloves too soon, thrust his hands into his pockets. It was Cutter,
Magnus Derrick's division superintendent, who came, bringing his wife
and her two girl cousins. They had come fifteen miles by the trail from
the far distant division house on "Four" of Los Muertos and had ridden
on horseback instead of driving. Mrs. Cutter could be heard declaring
that she was nearly dead and felt more like going to bed than dancing.
The two girl cousins, in dresses of dotted Swiss over blue sateen, were
doing their utmost to pacify her. She could be heard protesting from
moment to moment. One distinguished the phrases "straight to my bed,"
"back nearly broken in two," "never wanted to come in the first place."
The druggist, observing Cutter take a pair of gloves from Mrs. Cutter's
reticule, drew his hands from hi