s that your poultice--"

With twittering exclamations of dismay over the, accident the two women
hurried away to minister to the burned legs of Francisco, and Jack rose
and flung away his cigarette. His mouth had again the stubborn look
which Dade knew so well, and dreaded also.

"I am sorry for this unpleasantness," he said perfunctorily, stopping
before Don Andres. "But as I told the senora, I have done all that I can
do. I have named riatas. I don't think even you, Don Andres, could ask
more of me. Surely you wouldn't want to know that your roof had
sheltered a coward?"

Don Andres waved away the challenge which the question carried. "Still,
it seems a pity that my family must be made the subject of gossip
because of the foolishness of two young men," he said doggedly,
returning to his argument. "They will say that it is because of my
daughter that you fight; and the friendship of years must be set aside
while two hot-heads vent their silly spite--"

"It need not." Jack's head went up an inch. "I can leave your employ,
Don Andres, at any moment. There is no need for you to be caught between
the duties of hospitality and those of friendship. I can do anything--I
am willing to do anything--except crawl into a hole, as Dade wrote for
me to do." A fine, spirited picture he made, standing there with the
flames of wrath in his eyes and with neck stiff and his jaws set hard
together.

Don Andres looked up at him with secret approval. He did not love a
coward, and truly, this young fellow was brave. And Jose had
deliberately sought the quarrel from the first; justice compelled him to
remember that.

"If it might be arranged--" The don was studying the situation and the
man together. "Almost have I grasped the thread that will unravel the
whole. No, no! I do not mean your going, Senor. That would but limber
the tongue of scandal; and besides, I do not mean that I withdraw my
friendship from you. A man must be narrow, indeed, if he cannot carry
more than one friendship in his soul.

"Sit you down, Senor, while I think a moment," he urged. "Surely it can
be arranged without hurt to the fair name of--of any. Riatas--ah, now I
have it, Senor! Dullard, not to have thought of it at once! Truly must I
be in my dotage!" He did not mean that, of course, and he was quite
openly pleased when Jack smiled and shook his head.

"Listen, Senor, and tell me if the plan is not a good one! To-morrow
Valencia shall ride back to the rod