in words, but her eyes chiseled into his stolid will
to keep silent.

"The stranger invites evil. He would rob the _senorita_ and us all. He
has said he would horsewhip Pedro. He rides up and down the valley,
taunting us with his laugh. Is he a god, and are we slaves?"

"He said he would horsewhip Pedro, did he?"

"_Si senorita_; when Pedro told him to take his life, since it was his."

"And this was after Pedro had been thrown?"

"Directly after. The American is a devil, _dona_. He rode that
man-killer like Satan. Did he not already know that it was Pedro who
shot at him? Is not Pedro a sure shot, and did he not miss twice? Twice,
_senorita_; which makes it certain that this _Senor_ Gordon is a devil."

"Don't talk nonsense, Juan. I want to know how he came to tell Pedro
that he would whip him."

"He came up to the piazza when he had broken the heart of that other
devil, the man-killer, and Pedro was sitting there. Then Pedro told him
that he was the one who had shot at him, but he only laughed. He always
laughs, this fiend. He knew it already, just as he knows everything.
Then it was he said he had saved the boy to whip him."

"And that is all?"

"_Por Dios_--all" shrugged the lad.

"Are there others beside you that believe this nonsense about the
American being in league with evil?"

"It is not nonsense, _senorita_, begging your pardon," protested Juan
earnestly. "And Ferdinand and Pablo and Sebastian, they all believe it."

Valencia knew this complicated the situation. These simple peons would
do, under the impulsion of blind bigotry, what they would hesitate to do
otherwise. Let them think him a devil, and they would stick at nothing
to remove him.

Her first thought was that she must keep informed of the movements of
her people. Otherwise she would not be able to frustrate them.

"Juan, if this man is really what you think, he will work magic to
destroy those who oppose him. It will not be safe for any of my people
to set themselves against him. I know a better way to attack him. I want
to talk with Pablo and Sebastian. You must work with me. If they try to
do anything, let me know at once; otherwise they will be in great
danger. Do you understand?"

"_Si, senorita_."

"And will you let me know, quietly, without telling them?"

"_Si, senorita_."

"That is good. Now, I know my Juan trusts and loves his mistress. You
have done well. Go, now."

From the point of view of her people the girl kne