ess Manz'ita ran things pretty much her own way. You'll like the
kids. They have no mother, you know, and old Boone just adores
Manzanita. He's a nice old boy, too."

"Austin, DEAR!" Mrs. Phelps's protest died into a sigh.

"Well, but he is, a fine old fellow," amended Austin.

"And you think she's the sort of woman to make you happy, dear. Is she
musical? Is she fond of books?"

Austin, for the first time, looked troubled.

"Don't you LIKE her, mother?" he asked, astounded.

"Why, I've just met her, dear. I want you to tell me about her."

"Every one here is crazy about her," Austin said half sulkily. "She's
been engaged four times, and she's only twenty-two!"

"And she TOLD you that, dear? Herself?"

The boy flushed quickly.

"Why shouldn't she?" he said uncomfortably. "Every one knows it."

His mother fanned for a moment in silence.

"Can you imagine Cornelia--or Sally--engaged four times, and talking
about it?" she asked gently.

"Things are different here," Austin presently submitted, to which Mrs.
Phelps emphatically assented, "Entirely different!"

There was a pause. From the kitchen region came much slamming of light
wire door, and the sound of hissing and steaming, high-keyed remarks
from the Chinese and the Portuguese girls, and now and then the ripple
of Manzanita's laughter. A farm-hand crossed the yard, with pails of
milk, and presently a dozen or more men came down the steep trail that
led to the mine.

These were ranch-hands, cow-boys, and road-keepers, strong,
good-natured young fellows, who had their own house and their own cook
near the main ranch-house, and who now began a great washing and
splashing, at a bench under some willow trees, where there were basins
and towels. An old Spanish shepherd, with his dogs, came down from the
sheep range; other dogs lounged out from barns and stables; there was a
cheerful stir of reunion and relaxation as the hot day dropped to its
close.

A great hawk flapped across the canyon below the ranch-house, bats
began to wheel in the clear dusk, owls called in the woods. Just before
Manzanita appeared in the kitchen doorway to ring a clamorous bell for
some sixty ear-splitting seconds, her father, an immense old man on a
restless claybank mare, rode into the yard, and the four brothers,
Jose, Marty, Allen, and the little crippled youngest, eight-year-old
Rafael, appeared mysteriously from the shadows, and announced that they
were ready for dinner. Mar