where she awaited him. They engaged in long and earnest
conversation, at the end of which he fancied he saw Chiquita draw nearer
to her companion and hand him something, and then the darkness shut them
from view. He did not dare follow her farther or enter the village, for
fear of attracting suspicion to himself; but surely this was a clew to
something, to the mystery, perhaps.

At this juncture, Juan rolled a fresh _cigarillo_ as he listened to the
voices of the women, his eyes resting on Captain Forest's horse in the
corral beyond the garden. The animal fascinated him; never had he laid
eyes on such a superb creature. Each day he visited the corral for a
look at him, and each time the Chestnut would rush at him with ears laid
flat on his neck and mouth wide open, displaying his formidable teeth.

"_Caramba!_ what an animal to stock a _rancho_ with, if only--" Juan
sighed, and for some moments roundly cursed the past run of cards. The
afternoon sun was pleasantly warm, and the shade sleep inviting. He
threw the burnt end of his _cigarillo_ on the ground, and, drawing up
his feet, stretched himself at full length on the bench--the upper half
of his fox-like face appearing just above the edge of his _zerape_.

_Dios!_ was it not better to sleep and even dream bad dreams, than
waking, meditate upon the misfortunes of life?

XIX

When Chiquita entered the garden, she had just returned from an Indian
Mission School for girls, some ten miles distant from Santa Fe, whither
she rode once a week to instruct its pupils in the art of blanket and
basket weaving; an art which she had practiced from her earliest days.

Her affair with Don Felipe was bad enough, and though she had been
generally condemned for it, her woman's prerogative was recognized
nevertheless. But for a lady, and ward of a priest, to dance in public
and for money, was a thing unheard of; and gossip was fast giving her an
unenviable reputation. This latest escapade, as it was generally termed,
had nearly cost her her position in the school. When, however, it was
taken into consideration that her services were gratuitous and that it
would be impossible to replace her by any one else half as competent,
the directors of the institution discreetly demurred, deciding that it
would be better to humor the caprices of this fair barbarian who ruled
supreme in her department.

The greeting which took place between her and Blanch was cordial enough
to all ou