d ever believed that Ramon would marry
her, beautiful though she was, charming though she was, altogether
irresistible though she was--Luis became slightly incoherent here and
lapsed into swift rolling Spanish words which she did not understand.

Luis, before the sun went down and it was time to eat supper and go on,
became so thoroughly bewitched that he professed himself eager to let
his share of the gold go, and to take Annie-Many-Ponies to a priest and
marry her--if she wished very much to be married by a priest. In the
middle of his exaltation, Annie-Many-Ponies chilled him with the look
she gave him.

"You big fool," she told him bluntly. "I not so fool like that. I go to
Ramon--and plenty gold! I think you awful fool. You make me tired!"

Luis was furious enough for a minute to do her violence--but
Annie-Many-Ponies killed that impulse also with the cold contempt in her
eyes. She was not afraid of him, and like an animal he dared not strike
where he could not inspire fear. He muttered a Mexican oath or two and
went mortifiedly away to lead the horses down to the little stream where
they might drink. The girl was right--he was a fool, he told himself
angrily; and sulked for hours.

Fool or not, he had told Annie-Many-Ponies what she wanted to know. He
had given food to her brooding thoughts--food that revived swiftly and
nourished certain traits lying dormant in her nature, buried alive under
the veneer of white man's civilization--as we are proud to call it.

The two ate in silence, and in silence they saddled the horses and
fared forth again in their quest of Ramon--who had the gold which
Annie-Many-Ponies boldly asserted was an added lure. "The monee--always
the man wins that has muchos monee." Luis muttered often to himself as
he rode into the dusk. Behind him Annie-Many-Ponies walked and led the
black horse that bore all her worldly possessions bound to the saddle.
The little black dog padded patiently along at his heels.

CHAPTER XXI. "WAGALEXA CONKA--COLA!"

"So good little girl yoh are to true' Ramon! Now I knows for sure yoh
lov' me moch as I lov' yoh! Now we go little ride more to my house high
up in the pinons--then we be so happy like two birds in nes'. Firs' we
rest ourselves, querida mia. This good place for res', my sweetheart
that comes so far to be with Ramon. To-morrow we go to my house--to
nes' of my loved one. Thees cabin, she's very good little nes' ontil
tomorrow--yoh theenk so?"