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His younger brother Pedro took the horse from him as he rode into the ranch plaza an hour later

"You are to go to the señorita at once and tell her how the gringo is, Pablo" After a moment he added sullenly: "Maldito, how is the son of a thief?"

"Sick, Pedro, sick unto death The devil, as you say, may take him yet without any aid from us," answered Pablo Menendez brusquely

"Why does the señorita send you every day to find out how he is? Can she not telephone? And why should she care what becorily

His brother shrugged "How should I know?" He had troubles enough with the fancies of another wo about those of the señorita

Valencia Valdés was on the porch waiting for her er

"How is he, Pablo? Did you see the doctor and talk with him? What does he say?"

"Si, señorita I saw Doctor Watson and he send you this letter They say the American is a sick man--oh, very, very sick!"

The young woman dismissed him with a nod and hurried to her room She read the letter from the doctor and looked out of one of the deep adobe s into the starry night It happened to be the sa down the road She rose and put out the light so that she could weep the more freely It was hard for her to say why her heart was so heavy To herself she denied that she cared for this jaunty debonair scoundrel He was no doubt all she had told him on that day when she had driven him away

Yes, but she had sent him to pain and illnessperhaps to death The tears fell fast upon the white cheeks Surely it was not her fault that he had been so obstinate Yet--down in the depth of her heart she knew she loved the courage that had carried hi tramp that had so injured him And there was an inner citadel within her that refused to believe hi No raceful in the ie of God, could be so conte fine about the spirit of theable to put a finger exactly upon the quality she ht be a sinner, but it was hard to believe him a small and htly in his soul for that