hidin' in the breast…pocket of one of his old overcoats hangin' up
in the closet。 I mean that that air money and that air overcoat
went off with him； ez Mrs。 Blandford knows； for I heard her tell
her ma about it。 And when his affairs were wound up and his debts
paid； I reckon that the two hundred and fifty was all there was
leftand he scooted with it。 It's orkard for youez I said
aforebut I don't see wot on earth you need get riled for。 Ef he
ran off on account of only two hundred and fifty dollars he ain't
goin' to run back again for the mere matter o' your marrying Joan。
Ef he hadhe'd a done it afore this。 It's orkard ez I saidbut
the only orkardness is your feelin's。 I reckon Joan's got used to
hers。〃
Demorest had risen angrily to his feet。 But the next moment the
utter impossibility of reaching this man's hidebound moral
perception by even physical force hopelessly overcame him。 It
would only impress him with the effect of his own disturbing power；
that to Ezekiel was equal to a proof of the truth of his opinions。
It might even encourage him to repeat this absurd story elsewhere
with his own construction upon his reception of it。 After all it
was only Ezekiel's opinionan opinion too preposterous for even a
moment's serious consideration。 Blandford alive； and a petty
defaulter！ Blandford above the earth and complacently abandoning
his wife and home to another！ Blandfordperhaps a sneaking；
cowardly Nemesishiding in the shadow for futureimpossible！ It
really was enough to make him laugh。
He did laugh； albeit with an uneasy sense that only a few years
ago he would have struck down the man who had thus traduced his
friend's memory。
〃You've been overtaxing your brain in patent…medicine circulars；
Corwin；〃 he said in a roughly rallying manner； 〃and you've got
rather too much highfalutin and bitters mixed with your opinions。
After that yarn of yours you must be dry。 What'll you take？ I
haven't got any New England rum； but I can give you some ten…year…
old aguardiente made on the place。〃
As he spoke he lifted a decanter and glass from a small table which
Manuel had placed in the veranda。
〃I guess not；〃 said Ezekiel dryly。 〃It's now goin' on five years
since I've been a consistent temperance man。〃
〃In everything but melons； and criticism of your neighbor； eh？〃
said Demorest； pouring out a glass of the liquor。
〃I hev my convictions；〃 said Ezekiel with affected meekness。
〃And I have mine；〃 said Demorest； tossing off the fiery liquor at a
draft； 〃and it's that this is devilish good stuff。 Sorry you can't
take some。 I'm afraid I'll have to get you to excuse me for a
while。 I have to take a ride over the ranch before turning in； to
see if everything's right。 The house is 'at your disposition；' as
we say here。 I'll see you later。〃
He walked away with a slight exaggeration of unconcern。 Ezekiel
watched him narrowly with colorless eyes beneath his white lashes。
When he had gone he examined the thoroughly emptied glass of
aguardiente； and； taking the decanter； sniffed critically at its
sharp and potent contents。 A smile of gratified discernment
followed。 It was clear to him that Demorest was a heavy drinker。
Contrary to his prognostication； however； Mrs。 Demorest DID arrive
the next day。 But although he was to depart from Buenaventura by
the same coach that had set her down at the gate of the casa； he
had already left the house armed with some letters of introduction
which Demorest had generously given him； to certain small traders
in the pueblo and along the route。 Demorest was not displeased to
part with him before the arrival of his wife； and thus spare her
the awkwardness of a repetition of Ezekiel's effrontery in her
presence。 Nor was he willing to have the impediment of a guest in
the house to any explanation he might have to seek from her； or to
the confidences that hereafter must be fuller and more mutual。
For with all his deep affection for his wife； Richard Demorest
unconsciously feared her。 The strong man whose dominance over men
and women alike had been his salient characteristic； had begun to
feel an undefinable sense of some unrecognized quality in the woman
he loved。 He had once or twice detected it in a tone of her voice；
in a remembered and perhaps even once idolized gesture； or in the
accidental lapse of some bewildering word。 With the generosity of
a large nature he had put the thought aside； referring it to some
selfish weakness of his own； ormore fatuous than allto a
possible diminution of his own affection。
He was standing on the steps ready to receive her。 Few of her
appreciative sex could have remained indifferent to the tender and
touching significance of his silent and subdued welcome。 He had
that piteous wistfulness of eye seen in some dogs and the husbands
of many charming womenthe affection that pardons beforehand the
indifference it has learned to expect。 She approached him smiling
in her turn； meeting the sublime patience of being unloved with
the equally resigned patience of being loved； and feeling that
comforting sense of virtue which might become a bore； but never a
self…reproach。 For the rest； she was prettier than ever； her five
years of expanded life had slightly rounded the elongated oval of
her face； filled up the ascetic hollows of her temples； and freed
the repression of her mouth and chin。 A more genial climate had
quickened the circulation that North Liberty had arrested； and
suffused the transparent beauty of her skin with eloquent life。 It
seemed as if the long； protracted northern spring of her youth had
suddenly burst into a summer of womanhood under those gentle skies；
and yet enough of her puritan precision of manner； movement； and
gesture remained to temper her fuller and more exuberant life and
give it repose。 In a community of pretty women more or less given
to the license and extravagance of the epoch； she always looked
like a lady。
He took her in his arms and half…lifted her up the last step of the
veranda。 She resisted slightly with her characteristic action of
catching his wrists in both her hands and holding him off with an
awkward primness； and almost in the same tone that she had used to
Edward Blandford five years before； said：
〃There； Dick； that will do。〃
CHAPTER II
Demorest's dream of a few days' conjugal seclusion and confidences
with his wife was quickly dispelled by that lady。 〃I came down
with Rosita Pico； whose father； you know； once owned this
property；〃 she said。 〃She's gone on to her cousins at Los Osos
Rancho to…night； but comes here to…morrow for a visit。 She knows
the place well； in fact； she once had a romantic love affair here。
But she is very entertaining。 It will be a little change for us；〃
she added； naively。
Demorest kept back a sigh； without changing his gentle smile。 〃I'm
glad for your sake； dear。 But is she not a little flighty and
inclined to flirt a good deal？ I think I've heard so。〃
〃She's a young girl who has been severely tried； Richard； and
perhaps is not to blame for endeavoring to forget it in such
distraction as she can find；〃 said Mrs。 Demorest； with a slight
return of her old manner。 〃I can understand her feelings
perfectly。〃 She looked pointedly at her husband as she spoke； it
being one of her late habits to openly refer to their ante…nuptial
acquaintance as a natural reaction from the martyrdom of her first
marriage； with a quiet indifference that seemed almost an
indelicacy。 But her husband only said： 〃As you like； dear；〃
vaguely remembering Dona Rosita as the alleged heroine of a
forgotten romance with some earlier American adventurer who had
disappeared； and trying vainly to reconcile his wife's sentimental
description of her with his own recollection of the buxom； pretty；
laughing； but dangerous…eyed Spanish girl he had； however； seen but
once。
She arrived the next day； flying into a protracted embrace of Joan；
which included a smiling recognition of Demorest with an unoccupied
blue eye； and a shake of her fan over his wife's shoulder。 Then
she drew back and seemed to take in the whole veranda and garden in
another long caress of her eyes。 〃Ah…yess！ I have recog…nized it；
mooch。 It es ze same。 Of no changenot even of a leetle。 No；
she ess alwaysesso。〃 She stopped； looked unutterable things at
Joan； pressed her fan below a spray of roses on her full bodice as
if to indicate some thrilling memory beneath it； shook her head
again； suddenly caught sight of Demorest's serious face； said： 〃Ah；
that brigand of our husband laughs himself at me；〃 and then herself
broke into a charming ripple of laughter。
〃But I was not laughing； Dona Rosita；〃 said Demorest； smiling
sadly； however； in spite of himself。
She made a little grimace； and then raised her elbows； slightly
lifting her shoulders。 〃As it shall please you； Senor。 But he is
gonethees passion。 Yesswhat you shall call thees sentiment of
lofzoas he came！〃 She threw her fingers in the air as if to
illustrate the volatile and transitory passage of her affections；
and then turned again to Joan with her back towards Demorest。
〃Do please go onDona Rosita；〃 said he； 〃I never heard the real
story。 If there is any romance about my house； I'd like to know
it；〃 he added with a faint sigh。
Dona Rosita wheeled upon him with an inquiring little look。 〃Ah；
you have the sentiment； and YOU；〃 she continued； taking Joan by the
arms； 〃YOU have not。 Eet ess good so。 When athe wife；〃 she
continued boldly； hazarding an extended English abstraction； 〃he
has the sentimente and the hoosband he has nothing； eet is not
goodfor a…himze wife；〃 she concluded triumphantly。
〃But I have great appreciation and I am dying to hear it；〃 said
Demorest； trying to laugh。
〃Well； poor one； you look so。 But you shall lif till another
time；〃 said Dona Rosita； with a mock courtesy； gliding with Joan
away。
The 〃other time〃 came that evening when chocolate was served on the
veranda； where Dona Rosita； mantilla…draped against the dry； clear；
moonlit air； sat at the feet of Joan on the lowest step。 Demorest；
uneasily observant of the influence of the giddy foreigner on his
wife； and c