intermediary was Enriquez Saltello--a youth of my age, and the
brother of Consuelo Saltello, whom I adored. As a Spanish Californian
he was presumed, on account of Chu Chu's half-Spanish origin, to have
superior knowledge of her character, and I even vaguely believed that
his language and accent would fall familiarly on her ear. There was the
drawback, however, that he always preferred to talk in a marvelous
English, combining Castilian[145-1] precision with what he fondly
believed to be Californian slang.

"To confer then as to thees horse, which is not--observe me--a Mexican
plug![145-2] Ah, no! you can your boots bet on that. She is of
Castilian stock--believe me and strike me dead! I will myself at
different times overlook and affront her in the stable, examine her as
to the assault, and why she should do thees thing. When she is of the
exercise, I will also accost and restrain her. Remain tranquil, my
friend! When a few days shall pass, much shall be changed, and she will
be as another. Trust your oncle do thees thing! Comprehend me!
Everything shall be lovely, and the goose hang high!"

Conformably with this, he "overlooked" her the next day, with a
cigarette between his yellow-stained finger tips, which made her sneeze
in a silent pantomimic way, and certain blandishments of speech which
she received with more complacency. But I don't think she ever even
looked at him. In vain he protested that she was the "dearest" and
"littlest" of his "little loves"--in vain he asserted that she was his
patron saint, and that it was his soul's delight to pray to her; she
accepted the compliment with her eyes fixed upon the manger. When he
had exhausted his whole stock of endearing diminutives, adding a few
playful and more audacious sallies, she remained with her head down, as
if inclined to meditate upon them. This he declared was at least an
improvement on her former performances. It may have been my own
jealousy, but I fancied she was only saying to herself, "Gracious! can
there be _two_ of them?"

"Courage and patience, my friend," he said, as we were slowly quitting
the stable. "Thees horse is yonge, and has not yet the habitude of the
person. To-morrow, at another season, I shall give to her a foundling"
("fondling," I have reason to believe, was the word intended by
Enriquez)--"and we shall see. It shall be as easy as to fall away from
a log. A leetle more of this chin music which your friend Enriquez
possesses, and