CHAPTER XXIX

"We've been waiting for you, Miguel, to motor with us to El Toro," Kay
greeted him as he entered the patio.

"So sorry to have delayed you, Kay. I'm ready to start now, if you
are."

"Father and mother are coming also. Where have you been? I asked
Pablo, but he didn't know."

"I've been over to Bill Conway's camp to tell him to quit work on that
dam."

The girl paled slightly and a look of apprehension crept into her eyes.
"And--and--he's--ceasing operations?" she almost quavered.

"He is not. He defied me, confound him, and in the end I had to let
him have his way."

El Mono, the butler, interrupted them by appearing on the porch to
announce that William waited in the car without. Mrs. Parker presently
appeared, followed by her husband, and the four entered the waiting
car. Don Mike, satisfied that his old riding breeches and coat were
clean and presentable, had not bothered to change his clothes, an
evidence of the democracy of his _ranchero_ caste, which was not lost