CHAPTER XXVII
Kay Parker was seated on the bench under the catalpa tree when MiguelFarrel rode up the palm-lined avenue to the hacienda, that night; hisface, as he dismounted before her, conveyed instantly to the girl theimpression that he was in a more cheerful and contented mood than shehad observed since that day she had first met him in uniform.
She smiled a welcome. He swept off his hat and favored her with a bowwhich appeared to Kay to be slightly more ceremonious than usual.
"Your horse is tired," she remarked. "Are you?"
"'Something accomplished, something done, has earned a night'srepose,'" he quoted cheerfully. "Rather a hard task to comb this ranchfor a few hundred head of cattle when the number of one's riders islimited, but we have gotten the herd corraled at the old race-track."He unbuckled his old leathern chaps, and stepped out of them, threwthem across the saddle and with a slap sent his horse away to the barn.
"You're feeling quite yourself again?" she hazarded hopefully.
"My foolish head doesn't bother me," he replied smilingly, "but myequally foolish heart--" he heaved a gusty Castilian sigh and tried toappear forlorn.
"Filled with mixed metaphors," he added. "May I sit here with you?"
She made room for him beside her on the bench. He seated himself,leaned back against the bole of the catalpa tree and stretched hislegs, cramped from a long day in the saddle. The indolent gaze of hisblack eyes roved over her approvingly before shifting to the shadowybeauty of the valley and the orange-hued sky beyond, and a silence fellbetween them.
"I was thinking to-day," the girl said presently, "that you've been sobusy since your return you haven't had time to call on any of your oldfriends."
"That is true, Miss Parker."
"You _have_ called me Kay," she reminded him. "Wherefore this suddenformality, Don Mike?"
"My name is Miguel. You're right, Kay. Fortunately, all of my friendscalled on me when I was in the hospital, and at that time I took painsto remind them that my social activities would be limited for at leasta year."
"Two of your friends called on mother and me today, Miguel."
"Anita Sepulvida and her mother?"
"Yes. She's adorable."
"They visited me in hospital. Very old friends--very dear friends. Iasked them to call on you and your mother. I wanted you to know Anita."
"She's the most beautiful and charming girl I have ever met."
"She _is_ beautiful and charming. Her family, like mine, had becomemore or less decayed about the time I enlisted, but fortunately hermother had a quarter section of land down in Ventura County and when awild-cat oil operator on adjacent land brought in a splendid well,Senora Sepulvida was enabled to dispose of her land at a thousanddollars an acre and a royalty of one-eighth on all of the oil produced.The first well drilled was a success and in a few years the Sepulvidafamily will be far wealthier than it ever was. Meanwhile their ranchhere has been saved from loss by foreclosure. Old Don Juan, Anita'sfather, is dead."
"Anita is the only child, is she not?"
He nodded. "Ma Sepulvida is a lady of the old school," he continued."Very dignified, very proud of her distinguished descent--"
"And very fond of you," Kay interrupted.
"Always was, Kay. She's an old peach. Came to the hospital and criedover me and wanted to loan me enough money to lift the mortgage on myranch."
"Then--then--your problem is--solved," Kay found difficulty in voicingthe sentence.
He nodded. She turned her face away that he might not see the pallorthat overspread it. "It is a very great comfort to me," he resumedpresently, "to realize that the world is not altogether barren of loveand kindness."
"It must be," she murmured, her face still averted.
"It was the dearest wish of my poor father and of Anita's that theancient friendship between the families should be cemented by amarriage between Anita and me. For me Senora Sepulvida would be amarvelous mother-in-law, because she's my kind of people and weunderstand each other. Really, I feel tremendously complimentedbecause, even before the oil strike saved the family from financialruin, Anita did not lack opportunities for many a more brilliant match."
"She's--dazzling," Kay murmured drearily. "What a brilliant wife shewill be for you!"
"Anita is far too fine a woman for such a sacrifice. I've alwaysentertained a very great affection for her and she for me. There'sonly one small bug in our amber."
"And that--"
"We aren't the least bit in love with each other. We're children of alater day and we object to the old-fashioned method of a marriagearranged by papa and mama. I know there must be something radicallywrong with me; otherwise I never could resist Anita."
"But you are going to marry her, are you not?"
"I am not. She wouldn't marry me on a bet. And of course I didn'taccept her dear old mother's offer of financial aid. Couldn't, underthe circumstances, and besides, it would not be kind of me to transfermy burden to them. I much prefer to paddle my own canoe."
He noticed a rush of color to the face as she turned abruptly towardhim now. "What a heritage of pride you have, Miguel. But are youquite certain Anita does not love you? You should have heard all thenice things she said about you to-day."
"She ought to say nice things about me," he replied casually. "Whenshe was quite a little girl she was given to understand that herultimate mission in life was to marry me. Of course I always realizedthat it would not be a compliment to Anita to indicate that I was nothead over heels in love with her; I merely pretended I was too bashfulto mention it. Finally one day Anita suggested, as a favor to her andfor the sake of my own self-respect, that I abandon the pose; withtears in her eyes she begged me to be a gallant rebel and save her fromthe loving solicitude of her parents to see her settled in life. Atthat moment I almost loved her, particularly when, having assured herof my entire willingness and ability to spoil everything, she kissed merapturously on both cheeks and confided to me that she was secretlyengaged to an engineer chap who was gophering for potash in DeathValley. The war interrupted his gophering, but Anita informs me thathe found the potash, and now he can be a sport and bet his potashagainst Senora Sepulvida's crude oil. Fortunately, my alleged deathgave Anita an opportunity to advance his claims, and he was in a fairway of becoming acceptable until my unexpected return rather greasedthe skids for him. Anita's mother is trying to give the poor devil thedouble-cross now, but I told Anita she needn't worry."
Kay's eyes danced with merriment--and relief. "But," she persisted,"you told me your problem was settled? And it isn't."
"It is. I'm going to sell about eighteen thousand dollars worth ofcattle off this ranch, and I've leased the valley grazing privilege forone year for ten thousand dollars. My raid on Loustalot netted mesixty-seven thousand dollars, so that my total bankroll is now aboutninety-five thousand dollars. At first I thought I'd let Bill Conwayhave most of my fortune to help him complete that dam, but I have nowdecided to stop work on the dam and use all of my energy and my fortuneto put through such other deals as may occur to me. If I am lucky Ishall emerge with sufficient funds to save the ranch. If I am unlucky,I shall lose the ranch. Therefore, the issue is decided. 'God's inhis Heaven; all's right with the world.' What have you been doing allday?"
"Painting and sketching. I'll never be a worth-while artist, but Ilike to paint things for myself. I've been trying to depict on canvasthe San Gregorio in her new spring gown, as you phrase it. The arrivalof the Sepulvida family interrupted me, and I've been sitting heresince they departed. We had tea."
"Getting a trifle bored with the country, Kay? I fancy you find itlonely out here."
"It was a trifle quiet while you were in hospital. Now that you'reback I suppose we can ride occasionally and visit some of the places oflocal interest."
"By all means. As soon as I get rid of that little bunch of cattle I'mgoing to give a barbecue and festival to the countryside in honor of myguests.
We'll eat a half dozen fat two-year-old steers and about athousand loaves of bread and a couple of barrels of claret and a hugemess of chilli sauce. When I announce in the El Toro _Sentinel_ thatI'm going to give a _fiesta_ and that everybody is welcome, all myfriends and their friends and relatives will come and I'll be sparedthe trouble of visiting them individually. Don Nicolas Sandovalremarked when he collected that Loustalot judgment for me that hesupposed I'd do the decent thing, now that I could afford it. MotherSepulvida suggested it and Anita seconded the motion. It will probablybe the last event of its kind on such a scale ever given in California,and when it is finished it will have marked my transition from anindolent _ranchero_ to some sort of commercial go-getter."
"I see. Little Mike, the Hustler."
He nodded, rose and stood before her, smiling down at her with aninscrutable little smile. "Will you motor me in to El Toro to-morrowmorning?" he pleaded. "I must go there to arrange for cattle cars."
"Of course."
"Thank you, Kay. Now, if I have your permission to withdraw, I think Ishall make myself presentable for dinner."
He hesitated a moment before withdrawing, however, meanwhile gazingdown on her with a gaze so intent that the girl flushed a little.Suddenly his hand darted out and he had her adorable little chinclasped between his brown thumb and forefinger, shaking it with littleshakes of mock ferocity. He seemed about to deliver some importantannouncement--impassioned, even, but to her huge disgust he smotheredthe impulse, jerked his hand away as if he had scorched his fingers,and blushed guiltily. "Oh, I'm a sky-blue idiot," he half growled andleft her abruptly.
A snort--to a hunter it would have been vaguely reminiscent of that ofan old buck deer suddenly disturbed in a thicket--caused her to lookup. At the corner of the wall Pablo Artelan stood, staring at her withalert interest; his posture was one of a man suddenly galvanized intoimmobility. Kay blushed, but instantly decided to appear nonchalant.
"Good evening, Pablo," she greeted the majordomo. "How do you feelafter your long, hard day on the range?"
"_Gracias_, mees. Myself, I feel pretty good. When my boss heeshappy--well--Pablo Artelan hees happy just the same."
The girl noted his emphasis. "That's very nice of you, Pablo, I'msure. Have you any idea," she continued with bland innocence, "why DonMiguel is so happy this evening?"
Pablo leaned against the adobe wall, thoughtfully drew forth tobaccobag and brown cigarette paper and, while shaking his head and appearingto ponder Kay's question, rolled a cigarette and lighted it. "We-l-l,_senorita_," he began presently, "I theenk first mebbeso eet eesbecause Don Miguel find heem one leetle piece paper on the trail. I amsee him peeck those paper up and look at heem for long time before heride to me and ask me many question about the _senorita_ and Senor BeelConway those day we ride to Agua Caliente. He say to me: 'Pablo, yousee Senor Beel Conway give to the senorita a writing?' '_Si, senor_.''You see Senorita Parker give to Senor Beel Conway a writing?' '_Si,senor_.' Then Don Miguel hee's don' say sometheeng more, but justshake hees _cabeza_ like thees," and Pablo gave an imitation of amuchly puzzled man wagging his head to stimulate a flow of ideas.
A faintness seized the girl. "Didn't he say--_anything_?" she demandedsharply.
"Oh, well, yes, he say sometheeng. He say: 'Well, I'bedam!' Then thatleetle smile he don' have for long time come back to Don Miguel's faceand hee's happy like one baby. I don' understand those boy ontil I seethees business"--Pablo wiggled his tobacco-stained thumb andforefinger--"then I know sometheeng! For long time those boy hee'spretty parteecular. Even those so beautiful _senorita_, 'NitaSepulvida, she don' rope those boy like you rope it, _senorita_." Andwith the license of an old and trusted servant, the sage of Palomarfavored her with a knowing wink.
"He knows--he knows!" the girl thought. "What must he think of me!Oh, dear, oh, dear! if he mentions the subject to me I shall die."Tears of mortification were in her eyes as she turned angrily upon theamazed Pablo. "You--you--old sky-blue idiot!" she charged and fled toher room.