, nor is the senora blind, to the--the--friendship that is
growing between Senor Jack and our daughter. We had hoped--but we have
long been resolved that in matters of the heart, our daughter shall
choose for herself so long as she does not choose one altogether
unworthy; which we do not fear, for to that extent we can protect her
by admitting to our friendship only those in whose characters we have
some confidence. Now that we understand each other so well, amigo,
I will say that I have had some correspondence with friends in San
Francisco, who have been so good as to make some investigations in
my behalf. Their Vigilance Committee," he said, smiling, "was not the
only tribunal which weighed evidence for and against your friend, nor
was it the only vindication he has received.

"I am assured that in the trouble which brought him to my house
he played the part of an honest gentleman fighting to uphold the
principles which all honest men espouse; and while he is hot-tempered
at times, and perhaps more thoughtless than we could wish, I hear no
ill of him save the natural follies of high-stomached youth.

"Therefore I am willing to abide by the choice of my daughter, whose
happiness is more dear to her parents than any hope they may have
cherished of the welding of two families who have long been friends.
I myself," he added reminiscently, "fled to the priest with my
sweetheart as if all the fiends of hell pursued us, because her
parents had chosen for her a husband whom she could not love. Since
we know the pain of choosing between a parent's wishes and the call of
the heart, we are resolved that our child shall be left free to choose
for herself. Therefore, I think our plan is a wise one; and the result
must be as the saints decree."

Dade, because he was engrossed with stifling the ache he had begun
to think was dead because it had grown numb, bowed his head without
speaking his assent and rose to his feet.

"I'll tell Jack," he said, as he started for the stables. "I guess
he'll do it, all right."

CHAPTER XIII

BILL WILSON GOES VISITING

"I Don't know what you've been doing to Jose Pacheco, lately," was
Dade's way of broaching the subject, "but Don Andres asked me to
'persuade' you not to go on rodeo, on account of some trouble between
you and Jose."

"He wants my scalp, is all," Jack explained easily, picking burrs from
the fringe of his sash--burrs he had gotten when he ran a race with
Teresita fr