opinion； Squire Blandford； ez we're old friends； but I do say； that
wot with Demorest's prematooriness and yer own hangfiredness； it's
a good thing that you two worldly men hev got Joan Salisbury to
stand up for North Liberty and keep it from bein' scandalized by
the ungodly。 Ef it hadn't been for her smartness； whar y'd both be
landed now？ There's a heap in Christian bringin' up； and a power
in grace； Squire Blandford。〃
His hard； dry face was for an instant transfigured by a grim fealty
and the dull glow of some sectarian clannishness。 Or was it
possible that this woman's personality had in some mysterious way
disturbed his rooted selfishness？
During his speech Blandford had walked to the window。 When Corwin
had ceased speaking； Blandford turned towards him with an equally
changed face and cold imperturbability that astonished him； and
held out his hand。 〃Let bygones be bygones； Corwinwhether we
ever meet again or not。 Yet if I can do anything for you for the
sake of old times； I am ready to do it。 I have some power here and
in San Francisco；〃 he continued； with a slight touch of pride；
〃that isn't dependent upon the mere name I may travel under。 I
have a purpose in coming here。〃
〃I know it；〃 said Ezekiel； dryly。 〃I heard it all from your two
friends。 You're huntin' some man that did you an injury。〃
〃I'm hunting down a dog who； suspecting I had some secret in
emigrating here； tried to blackmail and ruin me；〃 said Blandford；
with a sudden expression of hatred that seemed inconsistent with
anything that Ezekiel had ever known of his old master's character
〃a scoundrel who tried to break up my new life as another had
broken up the old。〃 He stopped and recovered himself with a short
laugh。 〃Well； Ezekiel； I don't know as his opinion of me was any
worse than yours or HERS。 And until I catch HIM to clear my name
again； I let the other slanderers go。〃
〃Wa'al； I reckon you might lay hands on that devil yet； and not far
away； either。 I was up at Demorest's to…day； and I heard Joan and
a skittish sort o' Mexican young lady talkin' about some tramp that
had frightened her。 And Miss Pico said〃
〃What！ Who did you say？〃 demanded Blandford； with a violent start。
〃Wa'al； I reckoned I heerd the first name tooRosita。〃
A quick flush crossed Blandford's face； and left it glowing like a
boy's。
〃Is SHE there？〃
〃Wa'al； I reckon she's visitin' Joan；〃 said Ezekiel； narrowly
attentive of Blandford's strange excitement； 〃but wot of it？〃
But Blandford had utterly forgotten Ezekiel's presence。 He had
remained speechless and flushed。 And then； as if suddenly dazzled
by an inspiration； he abruptly dashed from the room。 Ezekiel heard
him call to his passive host with a Spanish oath； but before he
could follow； they had both hurriedly left the house。
Ezekiel glanced around him and contemplatively ran his fingers
through his beard。 〃It ain't Joan Salisbury nor Dick Demorest ez
giv' him that start！ Humph！ Wa'alI wanter know！〃
CHAPTER IV
Mrs。 Demorest was so fascinated by the company of Dona Rosita Pico
and her romantic memories； that she prevailed upon that heart…
broken but scarcely attenuated young lady to prolong her visit
beyond the fortnight she had allotted to communion with the past。
For a day or two following her singular experience in the garden；
Mrs。 Demorest plied her with questions regarding the apparition she
had seen； and finally extorted from her the admission that she
could not positively swear to its being the real Johnson； or even
a perfectly consistent shade of that faithless man。 When Joan
pointed out to her that such masculine perfections as curling raven
locks； long silken mustachios； and dark eyes； were attributes by no
means exclusive to her lover； but were occasionally seen among
other less favored and even equally dangerous Americans； Dona
Rosita assented with less objection than Joan anticipated。
〃Besides； dear；〃 said Joan； eying her with feline watchfulness； 〃it
is four years since you've seen him； and surely the man has either
shaved since； or else he took a ridiculous vow never to do it； and
then he would be more fully bearded。〃
But Dona Rosita only shook her pretty head。 〃Ah； but he have an
aira something I know not what you callso。〃 She threw her
shawl over her left shoulder； and as far as a pair of soft blue
eyes and comfortably pacific features would admit； endeavored to
convey an idea of wicked and gloomy abstraction。
〃You child；〃 said Joan；〃that's nothing； they all of them do that。
Why； there was a stranger at the Oriental Hotel whom I met twice
when I was therejust as mysterious； romantic； and wicked…looking。
And in fact they hinted terrible things about him。 Well！ so much
so； that Mr。 Demorest was quite foolish about my being barely civil
to himyou understandand〃 She stopped suddenly； with a
heightened color under the fire of Rosita's laughing eyes。
〃AhsoDona Discretion！ Tell to me all。 Did our hoosband eat
him？〃
Joan's features suddenly tightened to their old puritan rigidity。
〃Mr。 Demorest has reasonsabundant reasonsto thoroughly
understand and trust me；〃 she replied in an austere voice。
Rosita looked at her a moment in mystification and then shrugged
her shoulders。 The conversation dropped。 Nevertheless； it is
worthy of being recorded that from that moment the usual familiar
allusions； playful and serious； to Rosita's mysterious visitor
began to diminish in frequency and finally ceased。 Even the news
brought by Demorest of some vague rumor in the pueblo that an
intended attack on the stage…coach had been frustrated by the
authorities； and that the vicinity had been haunted by incognitos
of both parties； failed to revive the discussion。
Meantime the slight excitement that had stirred the sluggish life
of the pueblo of San Buenaventura had subsided。 The posada of
Senor Mateo had lost its feverish and perplexing dual life； the
alley behind it no longer was congested by lounging cigarette
smokers； the compartment looking upon the silent patio was
unoccupied； and its chairs and tables were empty。 The two deputy
sheriffs； of whom Senor Mateo presumably knew very little； had
fled； and the mysterious Senor Johnson； of whom hestill
presumablyknew still less； had also disappeared。 For Senor
Mateo's knowledge of what transpired in and about his posada； and
of the character and purposes of those who frequented it； was
tinctured by grave and philosophical doubts。 This courteous and
dignified scepticism generally took the formula of quien sabe to
all frivolous and mundane inquiry。 He would affirm with strict
verity that his omelettes were unapproachable； his beds miraculous；
his aguardiente supreme； his house was even as your own。 Beyond
these were questions with which the simply finite and always
discreet human intellect declined to grapple。
The disturbing effect of Senor Corwin upon a mind thus gravely
constituted may be easily imagined。 Besides Ezekiel's inordinate
capacity for useless or indiscreet information； it was undeniable
that his patent medicines had effected a certain peaceful
revolutionary movement in San Buenaventura。 A simple and
superstitious community that had steadily resisted the practical
domestic and agricultural American improvements； succumbed to the
occult healing influences of the Panacea and Jones's Bitters。 The
virtues of a mysterious balsam； more or less illuminated with a
colored mythological label； deeply impressed them； and the
exhibition of a circular； whereon a celestial visitant was
represented as descending with a gross of Rogers' Pills to a
suffering but admiring multitude； touched their religious
sympathies to such an extent that the good Padre Jose was obliged
to warn them from the pulpit of the diabolical character of their
heresies of healingwith the natural result of yet more
dangerously advertising Ezekiel。 There were those too who spoke
under their breath of the miraculous efficacy of these nostrums。
Had not Don Victor Arguello； whose respectable digestion； exhausted
by continuous pepper and garlic； failed him suddenly； received an
unexpected and pleasurable stimulus from the New England rum； which
was the basis of the Jones Bitters？ Had not the baker； tremulous
from excessive aguardiente； been soothed and sustained by the
invisible morphia； judiciously hidden in Blogg's Nerve Tonic？ Nor
had the wily Ezekiel forgotten the weaker sex in their maiden and
maternal requirements。 Unguents； that made silken their black but
somewhat coarsely fibrous tresses； opened charming possibilities to
the Senoritas； while soothing syrups lent a peaceful repose to many
a distracted mother's household。 The success of Ezekiel was so
marked as to justify his return at the end of three weeks with a
fresh assortment and an undiminished audacity。
It was on his second visit that the sceptical； non…committal policy
of Senor Mateo was sorely tried。 Arriving at the posada one night；
Ezekiel became aware that his host was engaged in some mysterious
conference with a visitor who had entered through the ordinary
public room。 The view which the acute Ezekiel managed to get of
the stranger； however； was productive of no further discovery than
that he bore a faint and disreputable resemblance to Blandford； and
was handsome after a conscious； reckless fashion； with an air of
mingled bravado and conceit。 But an hour later； as Corwin was
taking the cooler air of the veranda before retiring to one of the
miraculous beds of the posada； he was amazed at seeing what was
apparently Blandford himself emerge on horseback from the alley；
and after a quick glance towards the veranda； canter rapidly up the
street。 Ezekiel's first impression was to call to him； but the
sudden recollection that he parted from his old master on
confidential terms only three days before in San Francisco； and
that it was impossible for him to be in the pueblo； stopped him
with his fingers meditatively in his beard。 Then he turned in to
the posada； and hastily summoned Mateo。
The gentleman presented himself in a state of such profound
scepticism that it seemed to have already communicated itself to
his shoulders； a