ew to her side. "Where? Oh, here!--everywhere! Ah, I am a
fool!" She was laughing now, albeit there were tears glistening on her
lashes when she laid her head on Joan's shoulder.

"It was some fancy--some resemblance you saw in that queer cactus," said
Demorest, gently. "It is quite natural, I was myself deceived the other
night. But I'll look around to satisfy you. Take Dona Rosita back to the
veranda, Joan. But don't be alarmed, dear--it was only an illusion."

He turned away. When his figure was lost in the entwining foliage, Dona
Rosita seized Joan's shoulder and dragged her face down to a level with
her own.

"It was something!" she whispered quickly.

"Who?"

"It was--HIM!"

"Nonsense," groaned Joan, nevertheless casting a hurried glance around
her.

"Have no fear," said Dona Rosita quickly, "he is gone--I saw him pass
away--so! But it was HE--Huanson. I recognize him. I forget him never."

"Are you sure?"

"Have I the eyes? the memory? Madre de Dios! Am I a lunatico too? Look!
He have stood there--so."

"Then you think he knew you were here?"

"Quien sabe?"

"And that he came here to see you?"

Dona Rosita caught her again by the shoulders, and with her lips to
Joan's ear, said with the intensest and most deliberate of emphasis:

"NO!"

"What in Heaven's name brought him here then?"

"You!"

"Are you crazy?"

"You! you! YOU!" repeated Dona Rosita, with crescendo energy. "I have
come upon him here; where he stood and look at the veranda, absorrrb of
YOU. You move--he fly."

"Hush!"

"Ah, yes! I have said I give him to you. And he came, Bueno," murmured
Dona Rosita, with a half-resigned, half-superstitious gesture.

"WILL you be quiet!"

It was the sound of Demorest's feet on the gravel path, returning
from his fruitless search. He had seen nothing. It must have been Dona
Rosita's fancy.

"She was just saying she thought she had been mistaken," said Joan,
quietly. "Let us go in--it is rather chilly here, and I begin to feel
creepy too."

Nevertheless, as they entered the house again, and the light of the
hall lantern fell upon her face, Demorest thought he had never but once
before seen her look so nervously and animatedly beautiful.

CHAPTER III

The following day, when Mr. Ezekiel Corwin had delivered his letters of
introduction, and thoroughly canvassed the scant mercantile community of
San Buenaventura with considerable success, he deposited his carpet-bag
at the st