r," said Richard King.

"It would be jolly, old dear," said his wife, levelly, her wise eyes on
his steady hands. "If the coffee crop runs to it!"

"There you have it," he growled. "If the coffee crop is bad we can't
afford to go,--and if it's good we can't afford to leave it!"

"But we needn't mind when we've house parties like this! My word,
Rich'--fancy having four house guests at one and the same blessed time!"
She led the way into the long _sala_ for coffee.

"Yes,--isn't it great? Drink?" Richard King held up a half filled
decanter toward his guest.

The personage shook his head. "Not this weather, thanks. That enchanted
well of yours does me better. Wonderful water, isn't it?"

"Water's all right, but it's a deuce of a nuisance having to carry every
drop of it up to the house."

"Really? Isn't it piped?"

"Ah, but it will be one day, Rich'! I expect the first big coffee crop
will go there, rather than in a trip to the States. But it is rather a
bother, meanwhile."

"But you have no labor question here."

"Haven't we though? With old Diaz gone the old order is changed. This
bunch I have here now are bad ones," King shook his head. "They may
revolute any minute."

"Oh, Rich'--not really?"

"I daresay they'll lack the energy when it comes to a show-down,
Madeline. But this man Villa is a picturesque figure, you know. He
appeals to the _peon_ imagination."

The guest was interested. "Yes. Isn't it true that there's a sort of
Robin Hood quality about him--steals from the rich to give to the
poor--that sort of thing?"

"That's more or less true, but the herd believes it utterly." He sighed.
"It was a black day for us when Diaz sailed."

Jimsy King had been listening. "But, Uncle Rich', they _have_ had a
rotten deal, haven't they?"

His uncle shrugged. "Got to treat 'em like cattle, boy. It's what they
are."

"Well, it's what they'll always be if you keep on treating 'em that
way!" Jimsy spoke hotly and his uncle turned amused eyes on him.

"Don't let that Yaqui fill you up with his red tales!"

"But you'll admit the Yaquis have been abused?"

"Well, I believe they have. They're a cut above the _peon_ in
intelligence and spirit. But--can't have omelette without breaking
eggs." He turned again to his elder guest. "This boy here has been
palling about with a Yaqui Indian he made me take in when he was here
last time."

The great man nodded. "Yes,--I've seen them together. Magnificent
specimen,