examining the intruder with languid criticism； removed his pipe
from his mouth and said quietly：
〃That's the woman you're looking forJovita Mendez！〃
PART II。
The rest of that interview has not been recorded。 Suffice it that
a few minutes later Parks； Brace； and Saunders left the Emporium；
and passed the night in the latter's cabin； leaving the Emporium
in possession of Miss Mendez and her peon servant； that at the
earliest dawn the two women and their baggage were transferred to
the old adobe house； where； however； a Mexican workman had already
arrived； and with a basketful of red tiles was making it habitable。
Buckeye； which was popularly supposed to sleep with one eye on the
river； and always first repaired there in the morning to wash and
work； was only awake to the knowledge of the invasion at noon。 The
meeting so confidently spoken of the night before had NOT been
called。 Messrs。 Parks and Brace were suffering from headaches
undoubtedly a touch of tule chill。 Saunders； at work with his
partner in Eagle Bar； was as usual generous with apparently
irrelevant facts on all subjectsbut that of the strangers。 It
would seem as if the self…constituted Committee of Safety had done
nothing。
And nothing whatever seemed to happen！ Thompson of Angels； smoking
a meditative pipe at noon on the trail noticed the repairing of the
old adobe house； casually spoke of it on his return to his work；
without apparent concern or exciting any comment。 The two
Billinger brothers saw Jovita Mendez at the door of her house an
hour later； were themselves seen conversing with her by Jim Barker；
but on returning to their claim； neither they nor Barker exhibited
any insurrectionary excitement。 Later on； Shuttleworth was found
in possession of two bundles of freshly rolled corn…husk cigarettes；
and promised to get his partner some the next day； but that
gentleman anticipated him。 By nightfall nearly all Buckeye had
passed in procession before the little house without exhibiting any
indignation or protest。 That night； however； it seemed as if the
events for which the Committee was waiting were really impending。
The adult female population of Buckeye consisted of seven
womenwives of miners。 That they would submit tamely to the
introduction of a young； pretty； and presumably dangerous member of
their own sex was not to be supposed。 But whatever protest they
made did not pass beyond their conjugal seclusion； and was
apparently not supported by their husbands。 Two or three of them；
under the pretext of sympathy of sex； secured interviews with the
fair intruder； the result of which was not； however； generally
known。 But a few days later Mrs。 〃Bob〃 Carpentera somewhat
brick…dusty blondewas observed wearing some black netting and a
heavily flounced skirt； and Mrs。 Shuttleworth in her next visit to
Fiddletown wore her Paisley shawl affixed to her chestnut hair by a
bunch of dog…roses； and wrapped like a plaid around her waist。 The
seven ladies of Buckeye； who had never before met； except on
domestic errands to each other's houses or on Sunday attendance at
the 〃First Methodist Church〃 at Fiddletown； now took to walking
together； or in their husbands' company； along the upper bank of the
riverthe one boulevard of Buckeye。 The third day after Miss
Mendez' arrival they felt the necessity of immediate shopping
expeditions to Fiddletown。 This operation had hitherto been
confined to certain periods； and restricted to the laying in of
stores of rough household stuffs； but it now apparently included a
wider range and more ostentatious quality。 Parks' Emporium no
longer satisfied them； and this unexpected phase of the situation
was practically brought home to the proprietor in the necessity of
extending the more inoffensive and peaceful part of his stock。 And
when； towards the end of the week； a cartload of pretty fixtures；
mirrors； and furniture arrived at the tienda； there was a renewed
demand at the Emporium for articles not in stock； and the consequent
diverting of custom to Fiddletown。 Buckeye found itself face to
face with a hitherto undreamt of and preposterous proposition。 It
seemed that the advent of the strange woman； without having yet
produced any appreciable effect upon the men； had already
insidiously inveigled the adult female population into ostentatious
extravagance。
At the end of a week the little adobe house was not only rendered
habitable； but was even made picturesque by clean white curtains at
its barred windows； and some bright； half…Moorish coloring of beams
and rafters。 Nearly the whole ground floor was given up to the
saloon of the tienda； which consisted of a small counter at one
side； containing bottles and glasses； and another； flanking it；
with glass cases； containing cigars； pipes； and tobacco； while the
centre of the room was given up to four or five small restaurant
tables。 The staff of Jovita was no longer limited to Sanchicha；
but had been augmented by a little old man of indefinite antiquity
who resembled an Aztec idol； and an equally old Mexican； who looked
not unlike a brown…tinted and veined tobacco leaf himself； and
might have stood for a sign。 But the genius of the place； its
omnipresent and all…pervading goddess； was Jovita！ Smiling；
joyous； indefatigable in suavity and attention； all…embracing in
her courtesies； frank of speech and eye； quick at repartee and
deftly handling the slang of the day and the locality with a
childlike appreciation and an infantine accent that seemed to
redeem it from vulgarity or unfeminine boldness！ Few could resist
the volatile infection of her presence。 A smile was the only
tribute she exacted； and good…humor the rule laid down for her
guests。 If it occasionally required some mental agility to respond
to her banter； a Californian gathering was； however； seldom lacking
in humor。 Yet she was always the principal performer to an
admiring audience。 Perhaps there was security in this multitude
of admirers； perhaps there was a saving grace in this humorous
trifling。 The passions are apt to be serious and solitary； and
Jovita evaded them with a jest；which； if not always delicate or
witty； was effective in securing the laughter of the majority and
the jealousy of none。
At the end of the week another peculiarity was noticed。 There was
a perceptible increase of the Mexican population； who had always
hitherto avoided Buckeye。 On Sunday an Irish priest from El Pasto
said mass in a patched…up corner of the old Mission ruin opposite
Rollinson's Ford。 A few lounging 〃Excelsior〃 boys were equally
astonished to see Jovita's red rose crest and black mantilla glide
by； and followed her unvarying smile and jesting salutation up to
the shadow of the crumbling portal。 At vespers nearly all Buckeye；
hitherto virtuously skeptical and good…humoredly secure in Works
without Faith； made a point of attending； it was alleged by some to
see if Jovita's glossy Indian…inky eyes would suffer aberration in
her devotions。 But the rose…crested head was never lifted from the
well…worn prayer…book or the brown hands which held a certain poor
little cheap rosary like a child's string of battered copper coins。
Buckeye lounged by the wall through the service with respectful
tolerance and uneasy shifting legs； and came away。 But the
apparently simple event did not end there。 It was unconsciously
charged with a tremendous import to the settlement。 For it was
discovered the next day by Mrs。 〃Bob〃 Carpenter and Nan
Shuttleworth that the Methodist Church at Fiddletown was too far
away； and Buckeye ought to have a preacher of its own。 Seats were
fitted up in the loft of Carpenter's store…house； where the
Reverend Henry McCorkle held divine service； and instituted a Bible
class。 At the end of two weeks it appeared that Jovita's invasion
which was to bring dissipation and ruin to Buckeyehad indirectly
brought two churches！ A chilling doubt like a cold mist settled
along the river。 As the two rival processions passed on the third
Sunday； Jo Bateman； who had been in the habit of reclining on that
day in his shirtsleeves under a tree； with a novel in his hand；
looked gloomily after them。 Then knocking the ashes from his pipe；
he rose； shook hands with his partners； said apologetically that he
had lately got into the habit of RESPECTING THE SABBATH； and was
too old to change again； and so shook the red dust of Buckeye from
his feet and departed。
As yet there had not been the slightest evidence of disorderly
conduct on the part of the fair proprietress of the tienda； nor her
customers； nor any drunkenness or riotous disturbance that could
be at all attributed to her presence。 There was； it is true；
considerable hilarity； smoking； and some gambling there until a
late hour； but this could not be said to interfere with the rest
and comfort of other people。 A clue to the mystery of so
extraordinary a propriety was given by Jovita herself。 One day she
walked into Parks' Emporium and demanded an interview with the
proprietor。
〃You have made the rules for thees Booki？〃
〃Yesthat isI and my friends have。〃
〃And when one shall not have mind the rulewhen one have say； 'No！
damn the rule；' what shall you make to him？ Shall you aprison
him？〃
Mr。 Parks hastened to say with a superior； yet engaging smile that
it never had been necessary； as the rules were obligatory upon the
honor and consent of alland were never broken。 〃Except；〃 he
added； still more engagingly； 〃she would remember； in her case
with their consent。〃
〃And your caballeros break not the rules？〃
〃No。〃
〃Then they shall not break the rules of meat MY TIENDA！ Look！ I
have made the rule that I shall not have a caballero drunk at my
house； I have made the rule that I shall not sell him the
aguardiente when he have too mooch。 I have made the rule that when
he gamble too mooch； when he put up too mooch money； I say 'No！' I
will not that he shall！ I make one more rule： that he shall not
quarrel nor fight in my house。 When he quarrel and fight； I say
'Go！ Vamos！ Get out！'〃
〃And very good rules they are too； Miss Mendez。〃
Jovita fixed her shining black eyes on the smiling Parks。 〃