pudding！〃
  He　ate　in　silence；　then　pushed　back　his　chair　and　went　to　the
  window；　gazing　through　its　grimy　panes　at　the　mountains；　ethereal
  in　their　evening　saffron。
  〃Blamed　Chink；〃　he　growled；　〃why　don't　he　wash　these　windows？〃
  Jed　laid　down　his　busy　knife　and　idle　fork　to　gaze　on　his　chief
  with　amazement。　　Buck　Johnson；　the　austere；　the　aloof；　the　grimly
  taciturn；　the　dangerous；　to　be　thus　complaining　like　a　querulous
  woman！
  〃Senor；〃　said　he；　〃you're　off　your　feed。〃
  Senor　Johnson　strode　savagely　to　the　table　and　sat　down　with　a
  bang。
  〃I'm　sick　of　it；〃　he　growled；　〃this　thing　will　kill　me　off。　　I
  might　as　well　go　be　a　buck　nun　and　be　done　with　it。〃
  With　one　round…arm　sweep　he　cleared　aside　the　dishes。
  〃Give　me　that　pen　and　paper　behind　you；〃　he　requested。
  For　an　hour　he　wrote　and　destroyed。　　The　floor　became　littered
  with　torn　papers。　　Then　he　enveloped　a　meagre　result。　　Parker　had
  watched　him　in　silence。
  The　Senor　looked　up　to　catch　his　speculative　eye。　　His　own　eye
  twinkled　a　little；　but　the　twinkle　was　determined　and　sinister；
  with　only　an　alloy　of　humour。
  〃Senor；〃　ventured　Parker　slowly；　〃this　event　sure　knocks　me
  hell…west　and　crooked。　　If　the　loco　you　have　culled　hasn't
  paralysed　your　speaking　parts；　would　you　mind　telling　me　what　in
  the　name　of　heaven；　hell；　and　high…water　is　up？〃
  〃I　am　going　to　get　married；〃　announced　the　Senor　calmly。
  〃What！〃　shouted　Parker；　〃who　to？〃
  〃To　a　lady；〃　replied　the　Senor；　〃an　intelligent　and　refined　lady…
  …of　pleasing　appearance。〃
  CHAPTER　FOUR
  DREAMS
  Although　the　paper　was　a　year　old；　Senor　Johnson　in　due　time
  received　an　answer　from　Kansas。　　A　correspondence　ensued。　　Senor
  Johnson　enshrined　above　the　big　fireplace　the　photograph　of　a
  woman。　　Before　this　he　used　to　stand　for　hours　at　a　time　slowly
  constructing　in　his　mind　what　he　had　hitherto　lackedan　ideal　of
  woman　and　of　home。　　This　ideal　he　used　sometimes　to　express　to
  himself　and　to　the　ironical　Jed。
  〃It　must　sure　be　nice　to　have　a　little　woman　waitin'　for　you　when
  you　come　in　off'n　the　desert。〃
  Or：　〃Now；　a　woman　would　have　them　windows　just　blooming　with
  flowers　and　white　curtains　and　such　truck。〃
  Or：　〃I　bet　that　Sang　would　get　a　wiggle　on　him　with　his　little
  old　cleaning　duds　if　he　had　a　woman　ahold　of　his　jerk　line。〃
  Slowly　he　reconstructed　his　life；　the　life　of　the　ranch；　in　terms
  of　this　hypothesised　feminine　influence。　　Then　matters　came　to　an
  understanding；　　Senor　Johnson　had　sent　his　own　portrait。
  Estrella　Sands　wrote　back　that　she　adored　big　black　beards；　but
  she　was　afraid　of　him；　he　had　such　a　fascinating　bad　eye：　　no
  woman　could　resist　him。　　Senor　Johnson　at　once　took　things　for
  granted；　sent　on　to　Kansas　a　preposterous　sum　of　〃expense〃　money
  and　a　railroad　ticket；　and　raided　Goodrich's　store　at　Willets；　a
  hundred　miles　away；　for　all　manner　of　gaudy　carpets；　silverware；
  fancy　lamps；　works　of　art；　pianos；　linen；　and　gimcracks　for　the
  adornment　of　the　ranch　house。　　Furthermore；　he　offered　wages　more
  than　equal　to　a　hundred　miles　of　desert　to　a　young　Irish　girl；
  named　Susie　O'Toole；　to　come　out　as　housekeeper；　decorator；　boss
  of　Sang　and　another　Chinaman；　and　companion　to　Mrs。　Johnson　when
  she　should　arrive。
  Furthermore；　he　laid　off　from　the　range　work　Brent　Palmer；　the
  most　skilful　man　with　horses；　and　set　him　to　〃gentling〃　a
  beautiful　little　sorrel。　　A　sidesaddle　had　arrived　from　El　Paso。
  It　was　〃centre　fire；〃　which　is　to　say　it　had　but　the　single
  horsehair　cinch；　broad；　tasselled；　very　genteel　in　its　suggestion
  of　pleasure　use　only。　　Brent　could　be　seen　at　all　times　of　day；
  cantering　here　and　there　on　the　sorrel；　a　blanket　tied　around　his
  waist　to　simulate　the　long　riding　skirt。　　He　carried　also　a　sulky
  and　evil　gleam　in　his　eye；　warning　against　undue　levity。
  Jed　Parker　watched　these　various　proceedings　sardonically。
  Once；　the　baby　light　of　innocence　blue　in　his　eye；　he　inquired　if
  he　would　be　required　to　dress　for　dinner。
  〃If　so；〃　he　went　on；　〃I'll　have　my　man　brush　up　my　low…necked
  clothes。〃
  But　Senor　Johnson　refused　to　be　baited。
  〃Go　on；　Jed；〃　said　he；　〃you　know　you　ain't　got　clothes　enough　to
  dust　a　fiddle。〃
  The　Senor　was　happy　these　days。　　He　showed　it　by　an　unwonted
  joviality　of　spirit；　by　a　slight　but　evident　unbending　of　his
  Spanish　dignity。　　No　longer　did　the　splendour　of　the　desert　fill
  him　with　a　vague　yearning　and　uneasiness。　　He　looked　upon　it
  confidently；　noting　its　various　phases　with　care；　rejoicing　in
  each　new　development　of　colour　and　light；　of　form　and　illusion；
  storing　them　away　in　his　memory　so　that　their　recurrence　should
  find　him　prepared　to　recognise　and　explain　them。　　For　soon　he
  would　have　someone　by　his　side　with　whom　to　appreciate　them。　　In
  that　sharing　be　could　see　the　reason　for　them；　the　reason　for
  their　strange　bitter…sweet　effects　on　the　human　soul。
  One　evening　he　leaned　on　the　corral　fence；　looking　toward　the
  Dragoons。　　The　sun　had　set　behind　them。　　Gigantic　they　loomed
  against　the　western　light。　　From　their　summits；　like　an　aureola；
  radiated　the　splendour　of　the　dust…moted　air；　this　evening　a　deep
  umber。　　A　faint　reflection　of　it　fell　across　the　desert；
  glorifying　the　reaches　of　its　nothingness。
  〃I'll　take　her　out　on　an　evening　like　this；〃　quoth　Senor　Johnson
  to　himself；〃and　I'll　make　her　keep　her　eyes　on　the　ground　till　we
  get　right　up　by　Running　Bear　Knob；　and　then　I'll　let　her　look　up
  all　to　once。　　And　she'll　surely　enjoy　this　life。　　I　bet　she　never
  saw　a　steer　roped　in　her　life。　　She　can　ride　with　me　every　day
  out　over　the　range　and　I'll　show　her　the　busting　and　the　branding
  and　that　band　of　antelope　over　by　the　Tall　Windmill。　　I'll　teach
  her　to　shoot；　too。　　And　we　can　make　little　pack　trips　off　in　the
  hills　when　she　gets　too　hotup　there　by　Deerskin　Meadows　'mongst
  the　high　peaks。〃
  He　mused；　turning　over　in　his　mind　a　new　picture　of　his　own　life；
  aims；　and　pursuits　as　modified　by　the　sympathetic　and
  understanding　companionship　of　a　woman。　　He　pictured　himself　as
  he　must　seem　to　her　in　his　different　pursuits。　　The
  picturesqueness　pleased　him。　　The　simple；　direct　vanity　of　the
  manthe　wholesome　vanity　of　a　straightforward　natureawakened
  to　preen　its　feathers　before　the　idea　of　the　mate。
  The　shadows　fell。　　Over　the　Chiricahuas　flared　the　evening　star。
  The　plain；　self…luminous　with　the　weird　lucence　of　the　arid
  lands；　showed　ghostly。　　Jed　Parker；　coming　out　from　the　lamp…lit
  adobe；　leaned　his　elbows　on　the　rail　in　silent　company　with　his
  chief。　　He；　too；　looked　abroad。　　His　mind's　eye　saw　what　his
  body's　eye　had　always　told　him　were　the　insistent　notesthe
  alkali；　the　cactus；　the　sage；　the　mesquite；　the　lava；　the　choking
  dust；　the　blinding　beat；　the　burning　thirst。　　He　sighed　in　the
  dim　half　recollection　of　past　days。
  〃I　wonder　if　she'll　like　the　country？〃　he　hazarded。
  But　Senor　Johnson　turned　on　him　his　steady　eyes；　filled　with　the
  great　glory　of　the　desert。
  〃Like　the　country！〃　he　marvelled　slowly。　〃Of　course！　　Why
  shouldn't　she？〃
  CHAPTER　FIVE
  THE　ARRIVAL
  The　Overland　drew　into　Willets；　coated　from　engine　to　observation
  with　white　dust。　　A　porter；　in　　strange　contrast　of　neatness；
  flung　open　the　vestibule；　dropped　his　little　carpeted　step；　and
  turned　to　assist　someone。　　A　few　idle　passengers　gazed　out　on　the
  uninteresting；　flat　frontier　town。
  Senor　Johnson　caught　his　breath　in　amazement。　　〃God！　　Ain't　she
  just　like　her　picture！〃　he　exclaimed。　　He　seemed　to　find　this
  astonishing。
  For　a　moment　he　did　not　step　forward　to　claim　her；　so　she　stood
  looking　about　her　uncertainly；　her　leather　suit…case　at　her　feet。
  She　was　indeed　like　the　photograph。　　The　same　full…curved；
  compact　little　figure；　the　same　round　face；　the　same　cupid's　bow
  mouth；　the　same　appealing；　large　eyes；　the　same　haze　of　doll's
  hair。　　In　a　moment　she　caught　sight　of　Senor　Johnson　and　took　two
  steps　toward　him；　then　stopped。　　The　Senor　at　once　came　forward。
  〃You're　Mr。　Johnson；　ain't　you？〃　she　inquired；　thrusting　her
  little　pointed　chin　forward；　and　so　elevating　her　baby…blue　eyes
  to　his。
  〃Yes；　ma'am；〃　he　acknowledged　formally。　　Then；　after　a　moment's
  pause：　〃I　hope　you're　well。〃
  〃Yes；　thank　you。〃
  The　station　loungers；　augmented　by　all　the　ranchmen　and　cowboys
  in　town；　were　examining　her　closely。　　She　looked　at　them　in　a
  swift　side　glance　that　seemed　to　gather　all　their　eyes　to　hers。
  Then；　satisfied　that　she　possessed　the　universal　admiration；　she
  returned　the　full　force　of　her　attention　to　the　man　before　her。
  〃Now　you　give　me　your　trunk　checks；〃　he　was　saying；　〃and　then
  we'll　go　right　over　and　get　married。〃
  〃Oh！〃　she　gasped。
  〃That's　right；　ain't　it