n when rosy
lips and pearly teeth are framing the courtly phrases. Whatever the
cause of her agitation the night of the meeting, whatever his
preconceived idea of her complicity in the scheme that robbed him of his
guard at Gila Bend and laid him low in the dust of the desert, Loring
found, as the result of five days observance and reflection, that his
original views had given place to doubt, and doubt at last to confidence
in her utter innocence. Knowing what ordeal was before him at the end of
the voyage, he had studiously avoided her, but now avoidance was no
longer possible. For a few moments they stood there, saying little, for
he was not practiced in the speech of Spanish, and at any time his words
were few, and then he asked her if she would not like to walk. When
Turnbull clambered up the stairway just as the breakfast gong was
banging, he was amazed to find the Engineer and Pancha, arm in arm,
pacing swiftly up and down the deck in perfect step and apparently in as
perfect accord, the girl's delicate face lighted up with a glow that was
not all of exercise, her wonderful eyes looking frankly into Loring's
fine, thoughtful face, her free hand gesticulating eagerly as she
chattered blithely, almost ceaselessly, for Loring was a flattering
listener to men or women, old or young. It was a transfigured maiden
that met the sisters De la Cruz as they ventured from their staterooms
to the table. Even Inez, their boasted beauty, looked sallow and wan
beside her radiant cousin, and the fat duenna, their aunt, gazed in
mingled astonishment and disapproval at the sight. But Pancha was the
heroine of the day. Pancha's hand had caught the dolphin, and the
captain showered his loud congratulations, the purser handed her to her
seat, and would gladly have sidled into the chair of Senor Sepulvida,
who had come aboard with them at Guaymas and kept his berth until the
previous evening, yet now came forth to face the gathering company at
breakfast. The skipper had placed the stout senora at his own right,
with Turnbull just beyond her. To Senorita Inez he had given the
left-hand seat, with Loring on her other side, and Senorita Carmen just
beyond him. So there was the Engineer flanked by damsels said to enjoy
no little wealth and social station, yet his blue eyes ever wandered
over across and further down the table where sat Pancha with a stuffy
old cigar merchant between her and their party, and that scape-grace,
Sepulvida, ogling