operly
stimulated by food and drink Archulera never failed to tell this story,
and to express his hatred for the man who had deprived him of wealth and
social position. He had at first approached the subject diffidently, not
knowing how Ramon would regard an attack on the good name of his uncle,
and being anxious not to offend the young man. But finding that Ramon
listened tolerantly, if not sympathetically, he had told the story over
and over, each time with more detail and more abundant and picturesque
denunciation of Diego Delcasar, but with substantial uniformity as to the
facts. As he spoke he watched the face of Ramon narrowly. Always the
recital ended about the same way.

"You are not like your uncle," he assured the young man earnestly, in his
formal Spanish. "You are generous, honourable. When your uncle is dead,
you will repay me for the wrongs that I have suffered--no?"

Ramon would always laugh at this. This night, in order to humour the old
man, he asked him how much he thought the Delcasar estate owed him for his
ancient wrong.

"Five thousand dollars!" Archulera replied with slow emphasis. He probably
had no idea how much he had lost, but five thousand dollars was his
conception of a great deal of money.

Ramon again laughed and refused to commit himself. He certainly had no
idea of giving Archulera five thousand dollars, but he thought that if he
ever did come into his own he would certainly take care of the old man--and
of Catalina.

Soon after this Archulera went off to sleep in the other end of the house,
after trying in vain to persuade Ramon to occupy his bed. Ramon, as
always, refused. He would sleep on a pile of sheep skins in the corner. He
really preferred this, because the sheep skins were both cleaner and
softer than Archulera's bed, and also for another reason.

After the old man had gone, he stretched out on his pallet, and lit
another cigarette. He could hear his host thumping around for a few
minutes; then it was very still, save for a faint moan of wind and the
ticking of a cheap clock. This late still hour had always been to him one
of the most delightful parts of his visits to Archulera's house. For some
reason he got a sense of peace and freedom out of this far-away quiet
place. And he knew that in the next room Catalina was waiting for
him--Catalina with the strong, shapely brown body which her formless calico
smock concealed by day, with the eager, blind desire bred of her long