rtans; when they are in trouble, in love, under stress of
any kind, they comb and comb their hair.) She rose without embarrassment
or apology, comb in hand, and greeted the doctor.

"Good-evening; will you go in?" she asked in a low, musical voice. "He
is in the back room. I will make a light." She followed them indoors,
lit a candle and handed it to the doctor, pointing toward the bedroom.
Then she went back and sat down on her doorstep.

Dr. Archie and Thea went into the bedroom, which was dark and quiet.
There was a bed in the corner, and a man was lying on the clean sheets.
On the table beside him was a glass pitcher, half-full of water. Spanish
Johnny looked younger than his wife, and when he was in health he was
very handsome: slender, gold-colored, with wavy black hair, a round,
smooth throat, white teeth, and burning black eyes. His profile was
strong and severe, like an Indian's. What was termed his "wildness"
showed itself only in his feverish eyes and in the color that burned on
his tawny cheeks. That night he was a coppery green, and his eyes were
like black holes. He opened them when the doctor held the candle before
his face.

"MI TESTA!" he muttered, "MI TESTA," doctor. "LA FIEBRE!" Seeing the
doctor's companion at the foot of the bed, he attempted a smile.
"MUCHACHA!" he exclaimed deprecatingly.

Dr. Archie stuck a thermometer into his mouth. "Now, Thea, you can run
outside and wait for me."

Thea slipped noiselessly through the dark house and joined Mrs.
Tellamantez. The somber Mexican woman did not seem inclined to talk, but
her nod was friendly. Thea sat down on the warm sand, her back to the
moon, facing Mrs. Tellamantez on her doorstep, and began to count the
moon flowers on the vine that ran over the house. Mrs. Tellamantez was
always considered a very homely woman. Her face was of a strongly marked
type not sympathetic to Americans. Such long, oval faces, with a full
chin, a large, mobile mouth, a high nose, are not uncommon in Spain.
Mrs. Tellamantez could not write her name, and could read but little.
Her strong nature lived upon itself. She was chiefly known in Moonstone
for her forbearance with her incorrigible husband.

Nobody knew exactly what was the matter with Johnny, and everybody liked
him. His popularity would have been unusual for a white man, for a
Mexican it was unprecedented. His talents were his undoing. He had a
high, uncertain tenor voice, and he played the mandolin with e