"It seems so funny for a girl to be a doctor," said Florence, for the
first time referring in any way to Virginia since she had flown to the
door, expecting Norton alone. Even now she did not look toward her
kinswoman.

John Engle replied, speaking crisply. But just what he said Virginia
did not know. For suddenly her whole attention was withdrawn from the
conversation, fixed and held by something moving in the patio. First
she had noted a slight change in Rod Norton's eyes, saw them grow keen
and watchful, noted that they had turned toward the door opening into
the little court where the fountain was, where the wall-lamp threw its
rays wanly among the shrubs and through the grape-arbor. He had seen
something move out there; from where she sat she could look the way he
looked and mark how a clump of rose-bushes had been disturbed and now
stood motionless again in the quiet night.

Wondering, she looked again to Norton. His eyes told nothing now save
that they were keen and watchful. Whether or not he knew what it was
so guardedly stirring in the patio, whether he, like herself, had
merely seen the gently agitated leaves of the bushes, she could not
guess. She started when Engle addressed some trifling remark to her;
while she evaded the direct answer she was fully conscious of the
sheriff's eyes steady upon her. He, no doubt, was wondering what she
had seen.

It was only a moment later when Norton rose and went to Mrs. Engle,
telling her briefly that he had had a day of it, in the saddle since
dawn, wishing her good night. He shook hands with Engle, nodded to
Patten, and coming to Virginia said lightly, but, she thought, with an
almost sternly serious look in his eyes:

"We're all hoping you like San Juan, Miss Page. And you will, too, if
the desert stillness doesn't get on your nerves. But then silence
isn't such a bad thing after all, is it? Good night."

She understood his meaning and, though a thrill of excitement ran
through her blood, answered laughingly:

"Shall a woman learn from the desert? Have I been such a chatter-box,
Mrs. Engle, that I am to be admonished at the beginning to study to
hold my tongue?"

Florence looked at her curiously, turned toward Norton, and then went
with him to the door. For a moment their voices came in a murmur down
the hallway; then Norton had gone and Florence returned slowly to the
living-room.

Again Virginia looked out into the patio. Never a twig stirr