as if she were no more than a transparent shade,
through which he stared at the sky behind her, she did not know. Senor
Felipe's illness, she thought, and the general misery and confusion,
had perhaps put everything else out of his head; but now he was going
to stay, and it would be good fun having him there, if only Senor Felipe
got well, which he seemed likely to do. And as Margarita flew about,
here, there, and everywhere, she cast frequent glances at the tall
straight figure pacing up and down in the dusk outside.

Alessandro did not see her. He did not see anything. He was looking off
at the sunset, and listening. Ramona had said, "I will call you when we
are ready." But she did not do as she said. She told Margarita to call.

"Run, Margarita," she said. "All is ready now; see if Alessandro is in
sight. Call him to come and take the things."

So it was Margarita's voice, and not Ramona's, that called "Alessandro!
Alessandro! the supper is ready."

But it was Ramona who, when Alessandro reached the doorway, stood there
holding in her arms a huge smoking platter of the stew which had so
roused poor Juan Can's longings; and it was Ramona who said, as she gave
it into Alessandro's hands, "Take care, Alessandro, it is very full. The
gravy will run over if you are not careful. You are not used to waiting
on table;" and as she said it, she smiled full into Alessandro's
eyes,--a little flitting, gentle, friendly smile, which went near to
making him drop the platter, mutton, gravy, and all, then and there, at
her feet.

The men ate fast and greedily, and it was not, after all, much more than
an hour, when, full fed and happy, they were mounting their horses to
set off. At the last moment Alessandro drew one of them aside. "Jose,"
he said, "whose horse is the faster, yours or Antonio's?"

"Mine," promptly replied Jose. "Mine, by a great deal. I will run
Antonio any day he likes."

Alessandro knew this as well before asking as after. But Alessandro was
learning a great many things in these days, among other things a little
diplomacy. He wanted a man to ride at the swiftest to Temecula and back.
He knew that Jose's pony could go like the wind. He also knew that there
was a perpetual feud of rivalry between him and Antonio, in matter of
the fleetness of their respective ponies. So, having chosen Jose for
his messenger, he went thus to work to make sure that he would urge his
horse to its utmost speed.

Whispering in J