to hold down the water-hole for Corliss or to make a livin'?"

Sundown hesitated. He gazed across the yard to the distant mesa.
Suddenly a figure crossed the pathway to the gate. He jerked up his
head and stood with mouth open. It couldn't be--but, yes, it was
Anita--Linda Rosa! Gee Gosh! He turned to Loring. "I been tellin'
you the truth," he said simply. "'Course I got to see me boss, now.
But it makes no difference what he says, after this. I'm ranchin' for
meself, because I'm--er--thinkin' of gettin' married."

Without further explanation, Sundown stalked to the stable and got his
horse. He came to the hacienda and made his adieux. Then he mounted
and rode slowly down the roadway toward the gate.

Anita's curiosity had overcome her timidity. Quite accidentally she
stood toying with a bud that she had picked from the flower-bordered
roadway. She turned as Sundown jingled up and met him with a murmur of
surprise and pleasure. He swung from his horse hat in hand and
advanced, bowing. Anita flushed and gazed at the ground.

"'Mornin', Senorita! I sure am jest hoppin' glad to see you ag'in. If
I'd 'a' knowed you was here . . . But I come on business--important.
Reckon you're visitin' friends, eh?"

"Si, Senor!"

"Do you come here reg'lar?"

"Only to see the good aunt sometimes."

"Uhuh. I kind of wish your aunt was hangin' out at the Concho, though.
This here ain't a reg'lar stoppin'-place for me."

"You go away?" queried Anita.

"I reckon I got to after what I said up there to the house. Yes, I'm
goin' back to feed me pigs and Chance and the hens. I set up
housekeepin' since I seen you. Got a ranch of me own--that I was
tellin' you about. You ought to see it! Some class! But it's mighty
lonely, evenin's."

Anita sighed and glanced at Sundown. Then her gaze dwelt on the bud
she held. "Si, Senor--it is lonely in the evenings," she said, and
although she spoke in Spanish, Sundown did not misunderstand.

He grinned hugely. "You sure don't need to talk American to tell it,"
he said as one who had just made a portentous discovery. "It was
worryin' me how we was goin' to get along--me short on the Spanish and
you short on my talk. But I reckon we'll get along fine. Your pa in
good health, and your ma?"

Anita nodded shyly.

Sundown was at a loss to continue this pleasant conversation. He
brightened, however, as a thought inspired him. "And the leetle hoss,
is he doin' well?"