R VII

It was about an hour after Pearl had ridden away to meet Hanson among
the palms that Bob Flick joined Mr. Gallito, who sat, as usual, upon the
porch of his home, smoking innumerable cigarrettes. He was his composed
and imperturbable self, exhibiting outwardly, at least, no trace of
anxiety, but Flick looked worn, almost haggard.

Gallito had just told him of Pearl's early departure and also of the
fact that she had left no word intimating when she might return or in
what direction she was riding; but when Flick expressed regret that this
had been permitted, he merely lifted his shaggy brows. "What is done is
done," he said. "She slipped away before either Hugh or myself knew that
she was gone, and what could we or you, for that matter, have done to
prevent her?"

"I wish I'd been here," muttered Flick uneasily. "I'd have done
something." But his tone did not bear out the confidence of his words.

"I am too old and, I hope, too wise," returned the Spaniard, "to attempt
to tame the whirlwind. But cheer up, my friend. Although she rode off to
meet this Hanson, without a doubt, still, the day is not over."

"You know what she is when her head is set," murmured Flick.

"I! Have I not cause?" exclaimed Gallito, a depth of meaning in his
tone. "Who so much? But, nevertheless, she has not gone for good. She
would not leave without some of her clothes, especially her dancing
dresses and slippers, if she went with him. And her jewels, oh,
certainly, not without her jewels!" he smiled wisely. "There are, as you
know, certain ornaments about which she has her superstitions; she will
not dance without her emeralds. Oh, no, console yourself, as I do. She
has not gone for good."

But Flick was not so easily reassured. "I almost wish she had," he said
gloomily. "If she don't go to-day, she will to-morrow or next day."

"In that case they will not go far," returned Gallito and rubbed his
hands. His reply had been quick and sharp as the beat of a hammer on an
anvil; but now he spoke more softly: "But will she go at all, my friend?
You, like myself, have ever played for high stakes. Then you know and I
know that this is a world where a man may never look ahead and calculate
and say, 'because there is this combination of circumstances, these
results will certainly follow,'" he emphasized his words by tapping on
the table with his long, gnarled forefinger. "The wise man never
predicts, because he is always aware of that int