have seen her again； he had been very foolish； he had made this
poor woman participate in his folly； but he had never been
dishonest or treacherous in thought or action。 If Blandford had
lived； even he would have admitted it。 Yet he was guiltily
conscious of a material satisfaction in Blandford's death； without
his wife's religious conviction of the saving graces of
predestination。
They had been married quietly when the two years of her widowhood
had expired； his former relations with her husband and the
straitened circumstances in which Blandford's death had left her
having been deemed sufficient excuse in the eyes of North Liberty
for her more worldly union。 They had come to California at her
suggestion 〃to begin life anew；〃 for she had not hesitated to make
this dislocation of all her antecedent surroundings as a reason as
well as a condition of this marriage。 She wished to see the world
of which he had been a passing glimpse； to expand under his
protection beyond the limits of her fettered youth。 He had bought
this old Spanish estate； with its near vineyard and its outlying
leagues covered with wild cattle； partly from that strange
contradictory predilection for peaceful husbandry common to men who
have led a roving life； and partly as a check to her growing and
feverish desire for change and excitement。 He had at first enjoyed
with an almost parental affection her childish unsophisticated
delight in that world he had already wearied of； and which he had
been prepared to gladly resign for her。 But as the months and even
years had passed without any apparent diminution in her zest for
these pleasures； he tried uneasily to resume his old interest in
them； and spent ten months with her in the chaotic freedom of San
Francisco hotel life。 But to his discomfiture he found that they
no longer diverted him； to his horror he discovered that those easy
gallantries in which he had spent his youth； and in which he had
seen no harm； were intolerable when exhibited to his wife； and he
trembled between inquietude and indignation at the copies of his
former self； whom he met in hotel parlors； at theatres； and in
public conveyances。 The next time she visited some friends in San
Francisco he did not accompany her。 Though he fondly cherished his
experience of her power to resist even stronger temptation； he was
too practical to subject himself to the annoyance of witnessing it。
In her absence he trusted her completely； his scant imagination
conjured up no disturbing picture of possibilities beyond what he
actually knew。 In his recent questions of Ezekiel he did not
expect to learn anything more。 Even his guest's uncomfortable
comments added no sting that he had not already felt。
With these thoughts called up by the unlooked…for advent of Ezekiel
under his roof； he continued to gaze moodily into the garden。 Near
the house were scattered several uncouth varieties of cacti which
seemed to have lost all semblance of vegetable growth； and had
taken rude likeness to beasts and human figures。 One high…
shouldered specimen； partly hidden in the shadow； had the
appearance of a man with a cloak or serape thrown over his left
shoulder。 As Demorest's wandering eyes at last became fixed upon
it； he fancied he could trace the faint outlines of a pale face；
the lower part of which was hidden by the folds of the serape。
There certainly was the forehead； the curve of the dark eyebrows；
the shadow of a nose； and even as he looked more steadily； a
glistening of the eyes upturned to the moonlight。 A sudden chill
seized him。 It was a horrible fancy； but it looked as might have
looked the dead face of Edward Blandford！ He started and ran
quickly down the steps of the veranda。 A slight wind at the same
moment moved the long leaves and tendrils of a vine nearest him and
sent a faint wave through the garden。 He reached the cactus； its
fantastic bulk stood plainly before him； but nothing more。
〃Whar are ye runnin' to？〃 said the inquiring voice of Ezekiel from
the veranda。
〃I thought I saw some one in the garden；〃 returned Demorest；
quietly； satisfied of the illusion of his senses； 〃but it was a
mistake。〃
〃It mout and it moutn't；〃 said Ezekiel； dryly。 〃Thar's nothin' to
keep any one out。 It's only a wonder that you ain't overrun with
thieves and sich like。〃
〃There are usually servants about the place；〃 said Demorest；
carelessly。
〃Ef they're the same breed ez that Manuel； I reckon I'd almost as
leave take my chances in the road。 Ef it's all the same to you I
kalkilate to put a paytent fastener to my door and winder to…night。
I allus travel with them。〃 Seeing that Demorest only shrugged his
shoulders without replying； he continued； 〃Et ain't far from here
that some folks allow is the headquarters of that cattle…stealing
gang。 The driver of the coach went ez far ez to say that some of
these high and mighty Dons hereabouts knows more of it than they
keer to tell。〃
〃That's simply a yarn for greenhorns；〃 said Demorest； contemptuously。
〃I know all the ranch proprietors for twenty leagues around； and
they've lost as many cattle and horses as I have。〃
〃I wanter know；〃 said Ezekiel； with grim interest。 〃Then you've
already had consid'ble losses； eh？ I kalkilate them cattle are
vally'bleabout wot figger do you reckon yer out and injured？〃
〃Three or four thousand dollars； I suppose； altogether；〃 replied
Demorest； shortly。
〃Then you don't take any stock in them yer yarns about the gang
being run and protected by some first…class men in Frisco？〃 said
Ezekiel； regretfully。
〃Not much；〃 responded Demorest； dryly； 〃but if people choose to
believe this bluff gotten up by the petty thieves themselves to
increase their importance and secure their immunitythey can。 But
here's Manuel to tell us supper is ready。〃
He led the way to the corridor and courtyard which Ezekiel had not
penetrated on account of its obscurity and solitude； but which now
seemed to be peopled with peons and household servants of both
sexes。 At the end of a long low…ceilinged room a table was spread
with omelettes； chupa； cakes； chocolate； grapes； and melons； around
which half a dozen attendants stood gravely in waiting。 The size
of the room； which to Ezekiel's eyes looked as large as the church
at North Liberty； the profusion of the viands； the six attendants
for the host and solitary guest； deeply impressed him。 Morally
rebelling against this feudal display and extravagance； he； who had
disdained to even assist the Blandfords' servant…in…waiting at
table and had always made his solitary meal on the kitchen dresser；
was not above feeling a material satisfaction in sitting on equal
terms with his master's friend and being served by these menials he
despised。 He did full justice to the victuals of which Demorest
partook in sparing abstraction； and particularly to the fruit；
which Demorest did not touch at all。 Observant of his servants'
eyes fixed in wonder on the strange guest who had just disposed of
a second melon at supper； Demorest could not help remarking that he
would lose credit as a medico with the natives unless he restrained
a public exhibition of his tastes。
〃Ez ha'aw？〃 queried Ezekiel。
〃They have a proverb here that fruit is gold in the morning； silver
at noon； and lead at night。〃
〃That'll do for lazy stomicks；〃 said the unabashed Ezekiel。 〃When
they're once fortified by Jones' bitters and hard work； they'll be
able to tackle the Lord's nat'ral gifts of the airth at any time。〃
Declining the cigarettes offered him by Demorest for a quid of
tobacco； which he gravely took from a tin box in his pocket； and to
the astonished eyes of the servants apparently obliterated any
further remembrance of the meal； he accompanied his host to the
veranda again； where； tilting his chair back and putting his feet
on the railing； he gave himself up to unwonted and silent rumination。
The silence was broken at last by Demorest； who； half…reclining on
a settee； had once or twice glanced towards the misshapen cactus。
〃Was there any trace discovered of Blandford； other than we knew
before we left the States？〃
〃Wa'al； no；〃 said Ezekiel； thoughtfully。 〃The last idea was that
he'd got control of the hoss after passin' the bridge； and had
managed to turn him back； for there was marks of buggy wheels on
the snow on the far side； and that fearin' to trust the hoss or the
bridge he tried to lead him over when the bridge gave way； and he
was caught in the wreck and carried off down stream。 That would
account for his body not bein' found； they do tell that chunks of
that bridge were picked up on the Sound beach near the mouth o' the
river； nigh unto sixty miles away。 That's about the last idea they
had of it at North Liberty。〃 He paused and then cleverly directing
a stream of tobacco juice at an accurate curve over the railing；
wiped his lips with the back of his hand； and added； slowly：
〃Thar's another ideabut I reckon it's only mine。 Leastways I
ain't heard it argued by anybody。〃
〃What is that？〃 asked Demorest。
〃Wa'al； it ain't exakly complimentary to E。 Blandford； Esq。； and it
mout be orkard for YOU。〃
〃I don't think you're in the habit of letting such trifles
interfere with your opinion；〃 said Demorest； with a slightly forced
laugh； 〃but what is your idea？〃
〃That thar wasn't any accident。〃
〃No accident？〃 replied Demorest； raising himself on his elbow。
〃Nary accident；〃 continued Ezekiel； deliberately； 〃and； if it comes
to that； not much of a dead body either。〃
〃What the devil do you mean？〃 said Demorest； sitting up。
〃I mean；〃 said Ezekiel； with momentous deliberation； 〃that E。
Blandford； of the Winnipeg Mills； was in March； '50； ez nigh bein'
bust up ez any man kin be without actually failin'； that he'd been
down to Boston that day to get some extensions； that old Deacon
Salisbury knew it； and had been pesterin' Mrs。 Blandford to induce
him to sell out and leave the place； and that the night he left he
took about two hundred and fifty dollars in bank bills that they
allus kept in the house； and Mrs。 Blandford was in the habit o'
hidin' in the breast…pocket of one of his old overcoats hangin' up
in