or talk. It is as you
see."

"I see! Take you the others, and Tula will ride on my saddle," said
Kit in the same tone. Then he pointed to the beautifully worked
_manta_, "Did she squander wealth of hers on that?"

Marto regarded him with an impatient frown--it seemed to him an ill
moment for the American joke.

"Tula had no wealth," he stated, "we lived as we could on the fine
gold you gave to me for myself."

"Oh yes, I had forgotten that," declared Kit in some wonder at this
information, "but _mantas_ like that do not grow on trees in Sonora."

"That is a gift from the very grand daughter of the General Terain,"
said Marto. "Also if you had seen affairs as they moved there at Linda
Vista you would have said as does Ramon Rotil, that this one is
daughter of the devil! I was there, and with my eyes I saw it, but if
I had not,--an angel from heaven would not make me believe!"

"What happened?"

"The Virgin alone knows! for women are in her care, and no man could
see. As ordered, I went to the gates of that hacienda very grand.
_Sangre de Christo!_ if they had known they would have strung me to a
tree and filled me with lead! But I was the very responsible vaquero
of Rancho Soledad in Altar--and the lizards of guards at the gate had
no moment of suspicion. I told them the Indian girl carried a letter
for the eyes of their mistress and the sender was Dona Jocasta Perez.
At that they sent some messenger on the run, for they say the Dona
Dolores is fire and a sword to any servant of theirs who is slow in
her tasks."

"I heard she was a wonder of pride and beauty," said Kit. "Did you see
her?"

"That came later. She sent for Tula who would give the letter to no
one,--not even to me. The guard divided their dinner with me while I
waited; if they were doing work for their general I was doing work for
mine and learned many things in that hour! At last Tula came walking
down that great stair made from one garden to another where laurel
trees grow, and with her walked a woman out of the sun. There is no
other word, senor, for that woman! Truly she is of gold and rose; her
mother's family were of old Spain and she is a glory to any day!"

"Did you feel yourself under witchcraft--once more?" queried Kit.

"_Sangre de Christo!_ Never again! But Jose Perez had a good eye for
making choice of women,--that is a true word! So Dona Dolores walked
down to the drive with that _manta_ over her arm, also a belt in her
hand,--a