was so.

He hunted up Diego, and found him putting a deal of gratuitous labor
upon the silver trimmings of the new saddle. Diego being the peon in
whose behalf Jack had last winter interfered with Perkins, his gratitude
took the form of secret polishings upon the splendid riding-gear, the
cleaning of Jack's boots and such voluntary services. Now the silver
crescents which Teresita ridiculed were winking up at him to show they
could grow no brighter, and he was attacking vigorously the "milky way"
that rode behind the high cantle. Diego grinned bashfully when Jack's
shadow flung itself across the saddle and so announced his coming, and
stood up and waited humbly before the white senor who had fought for
him, a mere peon, born to kicks and cursings rather than to kindness,
and so had won the very soul of him.

"Bueno," praised Jack patronizingly. "Now I have some real work for you,
Diego, and it must be done quickly and well."

"Gracias, Senor," murmured Diego, abashed by such favor, and bowed low
before his god.

"The riata must be dressed now, Diego, and dressed until it is soft as a
silken cord, sinuous as the green snakes that live in the streams, and
not one strand must be frayed and weakened. Sabe? Too long have I
neglected to have it done, and now it must be done in haste--and done
well. Can you dress it so that it will be the most perfect riata in
California, Diego?" A twinkle was in Jack's eyes, but Diego was too
dazzled by the graciousness of his god to see it there. He made
obeisance more humble than before.

"Si, Senor," he promised breathlessly. "Never has riata been dressed as
this riata shall be. By the Holy Mother I swear it."

"Bueno. For listen! Much may hang upon the strength and the softness of
it." He fixed his eyes sternly upon the abject one. "It may mean my life
or my death, Diego. For in a contest with Don Jose Pacheco will I use
it."

"Si, Senor," gasped Diego, awed into trembling. "By my soul I swear--"

"You needn't. Save some of your energy for the rawhide. You'll want all
you've got before you're through." Jack, having made an impression deep
enough to satisfy the most exacting of masters, dropped to his natural
tone and speech. "Get some one to help, and come with me to the
orchard."

From the saddle-house he brought the six-strand, rawhide riata which
Manuel had bought for him and which his carelessness had left still
stiff and unwieldy, and walked slowly into the orchard, exami