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later find it out； he grinned diabolically in the face of that
worthy man； and sought the meditation of his miraculous couch。
When he had departed； the sceptic turned to his wife：
〃This animal has been sniffing at the trail。〃
〃Trulybut Mother of Godwhere is the discretion of our friend。
If he will continue to haunt the pueblo like a lovesick chicken； he
will get his neck wrung yet。〃
Following out an ingenious idea of his own； Ezekiel called the next
day on the Demorests； and in some occult fashion obtained an
invitation to stay under their hospitable roof during his sojourn
in Buenaventura。 Perfectly aware that he owed this courtesy more
to Joan than to her husband； it is probable that his grim enjoyment
was not diminished by the fact； while Joan； for reasons of her own；
preferred the constraint which the presence of another visitor put
upon Demorest's uxoriousness。 Of late； too； there were times when
Dona Rosita's naive intelligence； which was not unlike the
embarrassing perceptions of a bright and half…spoiled child； was in
her way； and she would willingly have shared the young lady's
company with her husband had Demorest shown any sympathy for the
girl。 It was in the faint hope that Ezekiel might in some way
beguile Rosita's wandering attention that she had invited him。 The
only difficulty lay in his uncouthness； and in presenting to the
heiress of the Picos a man who had been formerly her own servant。
Had she attempted to conceal that fact she was satisfied that
Ezekiel's independence and natural predilection for embarrassing
situations would have inevitably revealed it。 She had even gone so
far as to consider the propriety of investing him with a poor
relationship to her family； when Dona Rosita herself happily
stopped all further trouble。 On her very first introduction to
him； that charming young lady at once accepted him as a lunatic
whose brains were turned by occult； scientific； and medical study！
Ah！ she； Rosita； had heard of such cases before。 Had not a
paternal ancestor of hers； one Don Diego Castro； believed he had
discovered the elixir of youth。 Had he not to that end refused
even to wash him the hand； to cut him the nail of the finger and
the hair of the head！ Exalted by that discovery； had he not been
unsparingly uncomplimentary to all humanity； especially to the
weaker sex？ Even as the Senor Corwin！
Far from being offended at this ingenious interpretation of his
character； Ezekiel exhibited a dry gratification over it； and even
conceived an unwholesome admiration of the fair critic； he haunted
her presence and preoccupied her society far beyond Joan's most
sanguine expectations。 He sat in open…mouthed enjoyment of her at
the table； he waylaid her in the garden； he attempted to teach her
English。 Dona Rosita received these extraordinary advances in a no
less extraordinary manner。 In the scant masculine atmosphere of
the house； and the somewhat rigid New England reserve that still
pervaded it； perhaps she languished a little； and was not averse to
a slight flirtation； even with a madman。 Besides； she assumed the
attitude of exercising a wholesome restraint over him。 〃If we are
not found dead in our bed one morning； and extracted of our blood
for a cordial； you shall thank to me for it；〃 she said to Joan。
〃Also for the not empoisoning of the coffee！〃
So she permitted him to carry a chair or hammock for her into the
garden； to fetch the various articles which she was continually
losing； and which he found with his usual penetration； and to
supply her with information； in which； however； he exercised an
unwonted caution。 On the other hand； certain naive recollections
and admissions； which in the quality of a voluble child she
occasionally imparted to this 〃madman〃 in return； were in the
proportion of three to one。
It had been a hot day； and even the usual sunset breeze had failed
that evening to rock the tops of the outlying pine…trees or cool
the heated tiles of the pueblo roofs。 There was a hush and latent
expectancy in the air that reacted upon the people with feverish
unrest and uneasiness； even a lull in the faintly whispering garden
around the Demorests' casa had affected the spirits of its inmates；
causing them to wander about in vague restlessness。 Joan had
disappeared； Dona Rosita； under an olive…tree in one of the
deserted paths； and attended by the faithful Ezekiel； had said it
was 〃earthquake weather；〃 and recalled； with a sign of the cross； a
certain dreadful day of her childhood； when el temblor had shaken
down one of the Mission towers。 〃You shall see it now； as he have
left it so it has remain always；〃 she added with superstitious
gravity。
〃That's just the lazy shiftlessness of your folks；〃 responded
Ezekiel with prompt ungallantry。 〃It ain't no wonder the Lord
Almighty hez to stir you up now and then to keep you goin'。〃
Dona Rosita gazed at him with simple childish pity。 〃Poor man； it
have affect you also in the head； this weather。 So！ It was even
so with the uncle of my father。 Hush up yourself； and bring to me
the box of chocolates of my table。 I will gif to you one。 You
shall for one time have something pleasant on the end of your
tongue； even if you must swallow him after。〃
Ezekiel grinned。 〃Ye ain't afraid o' bein' left alone with the
ghost that haunts the garden； Miss Rosita？〃
〃After YOUnever…r…r。〃
〃I'll find Mrs。 Demorest and send her to ye；〃 said Ezekiel；
hesitatingly。
〃Eh； to attract here the ghost？ Thank you； no； very mooch。〃
Ezekiel's face contracted until nothing but his bright peering gray
eyes could be seen。 〃Attract the ghost！〃 he echoed。 〃Then you
kalkilate that it's〃 he stopped； insinuatingly。
Rosita brought her fan sharply over his knuckles； and immediately
opened it again over her half…embarrassed face。 〃I comprehend not
anything to 'ekalkilate。' WILL you go； Don Fantastico； or is it
for me to bring to you？〃
Ezekiel flew。 He quickly found the chocolates and returned； but
was disconcerted on arriving under the olive…tree to find Dona
Rosita no longer in the hammock。 He turned into a by…path； where
an extraordinary circumstance attracted his attention。 The air
was perfectly still； but the leaves of a manzanita bush near the
misshapen cactus were slightly agitated。 Presently Ezekiel saw the
stealthy figure of a man emerge from behind it and approach the
cactus。 Reaching his hand cautiously towards the plant； the
stranger detached something from one of its thorns； and instantly
disappeared。 The quick eyes of Ezekiel had seen that it was a
letter； his unerring perception of faces recognized at the same
moment that the intruder was none other than the handsome；
reckless…looking man he had seen the other day in conference with
Mateo。
But Ezekiel was not the only witness of this strange intrusion。 A
few paces from him； Dona Rosita； unconscious of his return； was
gazing in a half…frightened； breathless absorption in the direction
of the stranger's flight。
〃Wa'al！〃 drawled Ezekiel lazily。
She started and turned towards him。 Her face was pale and alarmed；
and yet to the critical eye of Ezekiel it seemed to wear an
expression of gratified relief。 She laughed faintly。
〃Ef that's the kind o' ghost you hev about yer； it's a healthy
one；〃 drawled Ezekiel。 He turned and fixed his keen eyes on
Rosita's face。 〃I wonder what kind o' fruit grows on the cactus
that he's so fond of？〃
Either she had not seen the abstraction of the letter； or his
acting was perfect； for she returned his look unwaveringly。 〃The
fruit； eh？ I have not comprehend。〃
〃Wa'al； I reckon I will；〃 said Ezekiel。 He walked towards the
cactus； there was nothing to be seen but its thorny spikes。 He was
confronted； however； by the sudden apparition of Joan from behind
the manzanita at its side。 She looked up and glanced from Ezekiel
to Dona Rosita with an agitated air。
〃Oh； you saw him too？〃 she said eagerly。
〃I reckon；〃 answered Ezekiel； with his eyes still on Rosita。 〃I
was wondering what on airth he was so taken with that air cactus
for。〃
Rosita had become slightly pale again in the presence of her
friend。 Joan