Marcos
County. He certainly did assimilate my advice and drag it out of town
_muy pronto_. Well, Liz, as the feller says: 'The wicked flee when no
man pursueth and a troubled conscience addeth speed to the hind legs.'"

As he was driving out of town to the place of his labors at Agua
Caliente basin, he passed the Parker limousine driving in. Between
John Parker's wife and John Parker's daughter, Don Miguel Jose Farrel
sat with white face and closed eyes. In the seat beside his chauffeur
John Parker sat, half turned and gazing at Don Miguel with troubled
eyes.

"That girl's sweeter than a royal flush," Bill Conway murmured. "I
wonder if she's good for a fifty thousand dollar touch to pay my cement
bill pending the day I squeeze it out of her father? Got to have
cement to build a dam--got to have cash to get cement--got to have a
dam to save the Rancho Palomar--got to have the Rancho Palomar before
we can pull off a wedding--got to pull off a wedding in order to be
happy--got to be happy or we all go to hell together. . . . Well . . .
I'm going down to Miguel's place to dinner to-night. I'll ask her."

The entire Parker family was present when the doctor in El Toro washed
and disinfected Farrel's wound and, at the suggestion of Kay, made an
X-ray photograph of his head. The plate, when developed, showed a
small fracture, the contemplation of which aroused considerable
interest in all present, with the exception of the patient. Don Mike
was still dizzy; because his vision was impaired he kept his eyes
closed; he heard a humming noise as if a lethargic bumble bee had taken
up his residence inside the Farrel ears. Kay, observing him closely,
realized that he was very weak, that only by the exercise of a very
strong will had he succeeded in sitting up during the journey in from
the ranch. His brow was cold and wet with perspiration, his breathing
shallow; his dark, tanned face was now a greenish gray.

The girl saw a shadow of deep apprehension settle over her father's
face as the doctor pointed to the fracture. "Any danger?" she heard
him whisper,

The doctor shook his head. "Nothing to worry about. An operation will
not be necessary. But he's had a narrow squeak. With whom has he been
fighting?"

"Thrown from his horse and struck his head on a rock," Parker replied
glibly.

Kay saw the doctor's eyebrows lift slightly. "Did he tell you that was
what happened?"

Parker hesitated a moment and nodd