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with omelettes； chupa； cakes； chocolate； grapes； and melons； around
which half a dozen attendants stood gravely in waiting。 The size
of the room； which to Ezekiel's eyes looked as large as the church
at North Liberty； the profusion of the viands； the six attendants
for the host and solitary guest； deeply impressed him。 Morally
rebelling against this feudal display and extravagance； he； who had
disdained to even assist the Blandfords' servant…in…waiting at
table and had always made his solitary meal on the kitchen dresser；
was not above feeling a material satisfaction in sitting on equal
terms with his master's friend and being served by these menials he
despised。 He did full justice to the victuals of which Demorest
partook in sparing abstraction； and particularly to the fruit；
which Demorest did not touch at all。 Observant of his servants'
eyes fixed in wonder on the strange guest who had just disposed of
a second melon at supper； Demorest could not help remarking that he
would lose credit as a medico with the natives unless he restrained
a public exhibition of his tastes。
〃Ez ha'aw？〃 queried Ezekiel。
〃They have a proverb here that fruit is gold in the morning； silver
at noon； and lead at night。〃
〃That'll do for lazy stomicks；〃 said the unabashed Ezekiel。 〃When
they're once fortified by Jones' bitters and hard work； they'll be
able to tackle the Lord's nat'ral gifts of the airth at any time。〃
Declining the cigarettes offered him by Demorest for a quid of
tobacco； which he gravely took from a tin box in his pocket； and to
the astonished eyes of the servants apparently obliterated any
further remembrance of the meal； he accompanied his host to the
veranda again； where； tilting his chair back and putting his feet
on the railing； he gave himself up to unwonted and silent rumination。
The silence was broken at last by Demorest； who； half…reclining on
a settee； had once or twice glanced towards the misshapen cactus。
〃Was there any trace discovered of Blandford； other than we knew
before we left the States？〃
〃Wa'al； no；〃 said Ezekiel； thoughtfully。 〃The last idea was that
he'd got control of the hoss after passin' the bridge； and had
managed to turn him back； for there was marks of buggy wheels on
the snow on the far side； and that fearin' to trust the hoss or the
bridge he tried to lead him over when the bridge gave way； and he
was caught in the wreck and carried off down stream。 That would
account for his body not bein' found； they do tell that chunks of
that bridge were picked up on the Sound beach near the mouth o' the
river； nigh unto sixty miles away。 That's about the last idea they
had of it at North Liberty。〃 He paused and then cleverly directing
a stream of tobacco juice at an accurate curve over the railing；
wiped his lips with the back of his hand； and added； slowly：
〃Thar's another ideabut I reckon it's only mine。 Leastways I
ain't heard it argued by anybody。〃
〃What is that？〃 asked Demorest。
〃Wa'al； it ain't exakly complimentary to E。 Blandford； Esq。； and it
mout be orkard for YOU。〃
〃I don't think you're in the habit of letting such trifles
interfere with your opinion；〃 said Demorest； with a slightly forced
laugh； 〃but what is your idea？〃
〃That thar wasn't any accident。〃
〃No accident？〃 replied Demorest； raising himself on his elbow。
〃Nary accident；〃 continued Ezekiel； deliberately； 〃and； if it comes
to that； not much of a dead body either。〃
〃What the devil do you mean？〃 said Demorest； sitting up。
〃I mean；〃 said Ezekiel； with momentous deliberation； 〃that E。
Blandford； of the Winnipeg Mills； was in March； '50； ez nigh bein'
bust up ez any man kin be without actually failin'； that he'd been
down to Boston that day to get some extensions； that old Deacon
Salisbury knew it； and had been pesterin' Mrs。 Blandford to induce
him to sell out and leave the place； and that the night he left he
took about two hundred and fifty dollars in bank bills that they
allus kept in the house； and Mrs。 Blandford was in the habit o'
hidin' in the breast…pocket of one of his old overcoats hangin' up
in the closet。 I mean that that air money and that air overcoat
went off with him； ez Mrs。 Blandford knows； for I heard her tell
her ma about it。 And when his affairs were wound up and his debts
paid； I reckon that the two hundred and fifty was all there was
leftand he scooted with it。 It's orkard for youez I said
aforebut I don't see wot on earth you need get riled for。 Ef he
ran off on account of only two hundred and fifty dollars he ain't
goin' to run back again for the mere matter o' your marrying Joan。
Ef he hadhe'd a done it afore this。 It's orkard ez I saidbut
the only orkardness is your feelin's。 I reckon Joan's got used to
hers。〃
Demorest had risen angrily to his feet。 But the next moment the
utter impossibility of reaching this man's hidebound moral
perception by even physical force hopelessly overcame him。 It
would only impress him with the effect of his own disturbing power；
that to Ezekiel was equal to a proof of the truth of his opinions。
It might even encourage him to repeat this absurd story elsewhere
with his own construction upon his reception of it。 After all it
was only Ezekiel's opinionan opinion too preposterous for even a
moment's serious consideration。 Blandford alive； and a petty
defaulter！ Blandford above the earth and complacently abandoning
his wife and home to another！ Blandfordperhaps a sneaking；
cowardly Nemesishiding in the shadow for futureimpossible！ It
really was enough to make him laugh。
He did laugh； albeit with an uneasy sense that only a few years
ago he would have struck down the man who had thus traduced his
friend's memory。
〃You've been overtaxing your brain in patent…medicine circulars；
Corwin；〃 he said in a roughly rallying manner； 〃and you've got
rather too much highfalutin and bitters mixed with your opinions。
After that yarn of yours you must be dry。 What'll you take？ I
haven't got any New England rum； but I can give you some ten…year…
old aguardiente made on the place。〃
As he spoke he lifted a decanter and glass from a small table which
Manuel had placed in the veranda。
〃I guess not；〃 said Ezekiel dryly。 〃It's now goin' on five years
since I've been a consistent temperance man。〃
〃In everything but melons； and criticism of your neighbor； eh？〃
said Demorest； pouring out a glass of the liquor。
〃I hev my convictions；〃 said Ezekiel with affected meekness。
〃And I have mine；〃 said Demorest； tossing off the fiery liquor at a
draft； 〃and it's that this is devilish good stuff。 Sorry you can't
take some。 I'm afraid I'll have to get you to excuse me for a
while。 I have to take a ride over the ranch before turning in； to
see if everything's right。 The house is 'at your disposition；' as
we say here。 I'll see you later。〃
He walked away with a slight exaggeration of unconcern。 Ezekiel
watched him narrowly with colorless eyes beneath his white lashes。
When he had gone he examined the thoroughly emptied glass of
aguardiente； and； taking the decanter； sniffed critically at its
sharp and potent contents。 A smile of gratified discernment
followed。 It was clear to him that Demorest was a heavy drinker。
Contrary to his prognostication； however； Mrs。 Demorest DID arrive
the next day。 But although he was to depart from Buenaventura by
the same coach that had set her down at the gate of the casa； he
had already left the house armed with some letters of introduction
which Demorest had generously given him； to certain small traders
in the pueblo and along the route。 Demorest was not displeased to
part with him before the arrival of his wife； and thus spare her
the awkwardness of a repetition of Ezekiel's effrontery in her
presence。 Nor was he willing to have the impediment of a guest in
the house to any explanation he might have to seek from her； or to
the confidences that hereafter must be fuller and more mutual。
For with all his deep affection for his wife； Richard Demorest
unconsciously feared her。 The strong man whose dominance over men
and women alike had been his salient characteristic； had begun to
feel an undefinab