inking. They were respectful, outwardly acquiescent, but
the girl saw, with a sinking heart, that they remained of their own
opinion. Whether he were man or devil, they were determined to make an
end of Gordon's intrusion.

CHAPTER XI

THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY AND THE TWENTIETH

It was the second day after Pesquiera's challenge that his rival was
called to Santa Fe, the capital of the State, to hold a conference with
his lawyers about the progress of the suit of ouster against those
living on the Moreno grant. Gordon knew how acute was the feeling of the
residents of the valley against him. The Corbetts, whose homestead was
not included in either the original Valdes or Moreno grant, reported
daily to him whatever came to their ears. He could see that the
impression was strong among the Mexicans that their champion, Dona Maria
as they called her, would be worsted in the courts if the issue ever
came to final trial.

To live under the constant menace of an attack from ambush is a strain
upon the best of nerves. Dick and his friend Davis rode out of the
valley to meet the Santa Fe stage with a very sensible relief. For a few
days, anyhow, they would be back where they could see the old Stars and
Stripes flutter, where feudal retainers and sprouts of Spanish
aristocracy were not lying in wait with fiery zeal to destroy the
American interloper.

They reached the little city late, but soon after sunup Gordon rose,
took a bath, dressed, and strolled out into the quaint old town which
lays claim to being the earliest permanent European settlement in the
country. It was his first visit to the place, and as he poked his nose
into out of the way corners Dick found every step of his walk
interesting.

Through narrow, twisted streets he sauntered, along unpaved roads
bounded by century-old adobe houses. His walk took him past the San
Miguel Church, said to be the oldest in America. A chubby-faced little
priest was watering some geraniums outside, and he showed Dick through
the mission, opening the door of the church with one of a bunch of large
keys which hung suspended from his girdle. The little man went through
the usual patter of the guide with the facility of long practice.

The church was built, he said, in 1540, though Bandelier inaccurately
sets the date much later. The roof was destroyed by the Pueblo Indians
in 1680 during an attack upon the settlement, at which time the
inhabitants took refuge within the mis