Wiley's description, he was sure. He traced her to
Palmillas and when he confronted her she broke down and confessed
without a show of fight. He brought her back to Victoria and was
waiting for me when I came."

"He's a smart one!" Sallie vociferated admiringly. "You'd go far,
Billie, to find a regular he-man in all that crowd you've been
traveling with that could beat him! But you might have let me in on
that party over to Baggott's! He sent hot-foot for Hen, but little I
thought you was in it or I'd have come, invite or no! How'd you fix
that up?"

"I sent Tia Juana and Jose and Rosa Mendez on ahead to confront the
others if necessary----"

"Yes, and they tried to kill each other all the way down----old Rosa
and Tia Juana, I mean," interrupted the other. "Them Federal officers
told Hen they'd rather have had charge o' two wild cats! Them and the
other government fellers got there while that bunch o' robbers was out
on a trip inspecting the oil well."

Willa nodded.

"I knew they'd return that morning, and I arranged the affair with Jim
Baggott and the officials. It was a terrible business, Sallie, and I
wanted to get it all over with at once."

"Well, you did it!" Sallie chuckled. "You took the wind out o' the
sails o' them relatives o' your'n, too. They've been milling around
these parts like nothin' was good enough for 'em, and it give 'em a
pain to hear your name mentioned, but it was different after you showed
up with your powder-blast, I can fell you! When they found you was
goin' to let byegones be byegones, and give 'em a chance to get back
the money they'd lost, it would have done you good to see the way they
came around here, trying to do something for their dear young relation!"

Willa smiled faintly.

"I wish I might have seen my cousins before they went North."

Sallie endeavored to maintain a discreet silence, but the effort proved
too much for her.

"Well, if you ask me, you're just as well off! The menfolks may be all
right, but that Mrs. Halstead wouldn't have let you call your soul your
own; wanted me to put ice-bags on you and all manner of outlandish
things, and told me to my face that my house wasn't sanitary! I soon
sent her about her business.--There! I declare if that
good-for-nothin' Chevalita isn't callin' me again!"

She retired precipitately into the house, and her ruse was apparent;
her quick ears had caught, not the voice of her criada, but the sound
of a pint