happy--well--Pablo Artelan hees happy just the same."

The girl noted his emphasis. "That's very nice of you, Pablo, I'm
sure. Have you any idea," she continued with bland innocence, "why Don
Miguel is so happy this evening?"

Pablo leaned against the adobe wall, thoughtfully drew forth tobacco
bag and brown cigarette paper and, while shaking his head and appearing
to ponder Kay's question, rolled a cigarette and lighted it. "We-l-l,
_señorita_," he began presently, "I theenk first mebbeso eet ees
because Don Miguel find heem one leetle piece paper on the trail. I am
see him peeck those paper up and look at heem for long time before he
ride to me and ask me many question about the _señorita_ and Señor Beel
Conway those day we ride to Agua Caliente. He say to me: 'Pablo, you
see Señor Beel Conway give to the señorita a writing?' '_Si, señor_.'
'You see Señorita Parker give to Señor Beel Conway a writing?' '_Si,
señor_.' Then Don Miguel hee's don' say sometheeng more, but just
shake hees _cabeza_ like thees," and Pablo gave an imitation of a
muchly puzzled man wagging his head to stimulate a flow of ideas.

A faintness seized the girl. "Didn't he say--_anything_?" she demanded
sharply.

"Oh, well, yes, he say sometheeng. He say: 'Well, I'bedam!' Then that
leetle smile he don' have for long time come back to Don Miguel's face
and hee's happy like one baby. I don' understand those boy ontil I see
thees business"--Pablo wiggled his tobacco-stained thumb and
forefinger--"then I know sometheeng! For long time those boy hee's
pretty parteecular. Even those so beautiful _señorita_, 'Nita
Sepulvida, she don' rope those boy like you rope it, _señorita_." And