orch of his house,
smoking and enjoying the twilight. The evening was beautiful, warm, the
sky one powder of stars. From the direction of the stables he heard one
of the Portuguese hands picking a guitar.

But he wanted to see Hilma. The idea of going to bed without at least a
glimpse of her became distasteful to him. Annixter got up and descending
from the porch began to walk aimlessly about between the ranch
buildings, with eye and ear alert. Possibly he might meet her
somewheres.

The Trees' little house, toward which inevitably Annixter directed
his steps, was dark. Had they all gone to bed so soon? He made a
wide circuit about it, listening, but heard no sound. The door of the
dairy-house stood ajar. He pushed it open, and stepped into the odorous
darkness of its interior. The pans and deep cans of polished metal
glowed faintly from the corners and from the walls. The smell of new
cheese was pungent in his nostrils. Everything was quiet. There was
nobody there. He went out again, closing the door, and stood for a
moment in the space between the dairy-house and the new barn, uncertain
as to what he should do next.

As he waited there, his foreman came out of the men's bunk house, on the
other side of the kitchens, and crossed over toward the barn. "Hello,
Billy," muttered Annixter as he passed.

"Oh, good evening, Mr. Annixter," said the other, pausing in front of
him. "I didn't know you were back. By the way," he added, speaking as
though the matter was already known to Annixter, "I see old man Tree and
his family have left us. Are they going to be gone long? Have they left
for good?"

"What's that?" Annixter exclaimed. "When did they go? Did all of them
go, all three?"

"Why, I thought you knew. Sure, they all left on the afternoon train for
San Francisco. Cleared out in a hurry--took all their trunks. Yes, all
three went--the young lady, too. They gave me notice early this morning.
They ain't ought to have done that. I don't know who I'm to get to run
the dairy on such short notice. Do you know any one, Mr. Annixter?"

"Well, why in hell did you let them go?" vociferated Annixter. "Why
didn't you keep them here till I got back? Why didn't you find out if
they were going for good? I can't be everywhere. What do I feed you for
if it ain't to look after things I can't attend to?"

He turned on his heel and strode away straight before him, not caring
where he was going. He tramped out from the group of ranc