loneliness.

During his first few visits to Archulera, he had scarcely noticed the
girl. That was doubtless one reason why the old man had welcomed him. He
had come here simply to go deer-hunting with Archulera, to eat his goat
meat and chile, to get away from the annoyance and boredom of his life in
town, and into the crude, primitive atmosphere which he had loved as a
boy. Catalina had been to him just the usual slovenly figure of a Mexican
woman, a self-effacing drudge.

He had felt her eyes upon him several times, had not looked up quickly
enough to meet them, but had noticed the pretty soft curve of her cheek.
Then one night when he was stretched out on his sheep skins after
Archulera had gone to bed, the girl came into the room and began pottering
about the stove. He had watched her, wondering what she was doing. As she
knelt on the floor he noticed the curve of her hip, the droop of her
breast against her frock, the surprising round perfection of her
outstretched arm. It struck him suddenly that she was a woman to be
desired, and one who might be taken with ease. At the same time, with a
quickening of the blood, he realized that she was doing nothing, and had
merely come into the room to attract his attention. Then she glanced at
him, daring but shy, with great brown eyes, like the eyes of a gentle
animal. When she went back to her own room a moment later, he confidently
followed.

Ever since then Catalina had been the chief object of his week-end
journeys, and his hunting largely an excuse. She had completed this life
which he led in the mountains, and which was so pleasantly different from
his life in town. For a part of the week he was a poor, young lawyer,
watchful, worried, careful; then for a couple of days he was a ragged
young Mexican and the lover of Catalina--a different man. He was the
product of a transition, and two beings warred in him. In town he was
dominated by the desire to be like the Americans, and to gain a foothold
in their life of law, greed and respectability; in the mountains he
relapsed unconsciously into the easy barbarous ways of his fathers.
Incidentally, this periodical change of personality was refreshing and a
source of strength. Catalina had been an important part of it.{~HORIZONTAL ELLIPSIS~} As he lay
now sleepily puffing a last cigarette, he wondered why it was that he had
suddenly lost interest in the girl.

CHAPTER VI

At ten o