"Prophetic of a snow storm in San Diego?"

"The snow was symbolic of bereavement, perhaps."

She rested her head on his shoulder and seemed lost in thought, and he held the little hand, so soft and white and well shaped, and thought of her beauty and lovely qualities and his coming happiness. He was thinking that he would have been content to pass the day thus, when she raised her eyes to his, saying:

"I must not keep you if you must go. Remember how superstitious my dream has made me. I wish you could wait until to-morrow."

"I would, but Hubert might come to-morrow."

"I had forgotten that." One more long kiss and they parted, her heart sinking under a load of undefined terrors.

From the seventh heaven Clarence had to come down again to prosaic earth; and after bidding adieu to Mercedes, he drove back home to speak to his father. The old man was sitting in his easy chair on the porch, smoking his pipe, alone, behind the curtain of honeysuckle, white jasmine and roses, so carefully trained over the porch by Mrs. Darrell and Alice. Seeing his son driving back towards the front steps, he walked down to meet him. Clarence was glad that he seemed in a better humor. He at once said:

"Father, I came back to ask a favor of you."

"A favor? You alarm me. You never did that in all your life," he said, smiling.

"You mean I never did anything else. I know it. But this is a very especial one, and a business favor."

"Let us hear it. Of course I'll do anything I can for you or any other of my children."

"Thanks, father. The favor is this. That in talking with the settlers-especially those who have been most ready to shoot the Don's cattle-that you tell them I have bought all his stock and all will be driven to the Colorado river just as soon as cold weather sets in. I don't think many of the settlers like me any better than they like the Don, but if they think they might displease _you_ by killing your son's cattle they might spare the poor animals."

"I'll do it. I expect Mathews and Miller now. They sent me word they are coming to bring me some special news as soon as Gasbang returns from town. But have you really and truly bought the stock? or is it only to-"

"I have made a bona fide purchase; five hundred head are already at the mine, and as soon as the hot weather is over, the others will follow. I must buy cattle somewhere, for we have to feed five hundred men now at work, and as the Don is losing his all the time, I proposed to him to sell all to me."

"But what is he to do with his land? Queer that he should sell his cattle when he gets his land. Doesn't he believe he'll get rid of us-the _squatters_?"

"O yes, but he figures thus: If the Texas Pacific is built, it will pay better to sell his land in farming lots; if not, he can restock it when he gets rid of his troublesome neighbors."

"He has more sense than I gave him credit for. I guess you put him up to that dodge."

"No indeed. He thought it himself, but it seems that Gabriel and George thought the same thing at the same time, and as I was thinking where I could get cattle for my mines, it struck me I might buy his and suit us both."

"All right. I'll speak to the settlers, but of course I cannot promise that they will do what I ask."

"I understand that. Many thanks. Good-by."

"When will you return?"

"To-morrow," and he was off at a tearing speed for his horses were tired of waiting, and longed to be on the road.

There was a little _arroyo_ which passed about 500 yards on the west of Don Mariano's house and marked the west line of Darrell's land; as Clarence approached this dried brook, he saw Gasbang and Roper coming down from the opposite hill, evidently unable to check their horses.

Roper was so intoxicated that he could with difficulty keep his seat, and as Gasbang seemed much frightened, Clarence took his phaeton well off the road and waited so as to lend his assistance, if it should be required. But "the kind Providence which takes care of drunken sailors, children and the United States," was watchful of Roper, and though he swayed and swung beyond possible equilibrium, he stuck to his seat with drunken gravity.

"Going to invest in more real estate?" Gasbang shouted as soon as he felt reassured by passing the great danger of sand and pebbles which his cowardice had magnified to him into a precipice. Roper laughed heartily, but Clarence, not understanding the allusion, made no answer and drove on without looking at them. If a kind fairy could have whispered to him what was the errand of these two men, he most assuredly would have turned back. There being no fairy but the blue-eyed one who had already told her dreams and fears, which he had not believed, he went on to town, and Gasbang took Roper to his house, carefully putting him to bed to take a nap that would sober him before he spoke with Darrell; for it was to speak with Darrell that he came.

While Roper slept, Gasbang went to see Mathews, Miller and Hughes, and together they held a consultation, at the end of which it was decided that, as Roper was too intoxicated yet, and Darrell disliked drunkards, they would go and have a preliminary talk with him themselves, and Roper would be pressed into service, if advisable, in the morning, when he would be sober.

Darrell had got tired of waiting for Mathews; so, after thinking of what Clarence had said, he decided that it would be better to have a talk with Hancock and Pitikin, who were about the most reliable of all the settlers. They perhaps knew what it was that Mathews had to say. He told Webster to saddle a horse and bring it around; he would go on horseback, as the wagon road to Hancock's was very long, around the fields.

But now when Webster had brought the saddled horse to the front steps, Darrell saw Mathews, Gasbang, Miller and Hughes coming in a two-seated wagon, and all seemed to be talking very excitedly.

"Tie the horse there. I'll wait for those men," said Darrell, sitting down again. Webster did as he was told, and then walked straight up-stairs to his mother's room. Everett and Alice were with her.

"Mother, if I were you, I would go and sit in the parlor and do my sewing there by the windows on the piazza, while those bad men are talking to father," Webster said.

"Why, Webster, go and listen unseen!" Mrs. Darrell exclaimed.

"Certainly, and do it quickly, for those old imps mean mischief to Clarence."

"To Clarence!" exclaimed Alice and her mother at the same time.

"Yes, mother, Web. might be right. You might just be in time to unmask some lie against Clary," Everett suggested.

"One thing is sure, that those men already have too much influence over father, and we have done nothing to oppose it," Alice said. Mrs. Darrell was silent, then, looking at her children, said:

"You might be right, my children, but that would not justify my listening at the keyhole." Everett shrugged his shoulders, saying:

"All right, mother. Come on, Web." And both boys left the room. When they were out, Everett said: "Web, get a horse saddled and tie him at the back porch for me. I am going to listen from Jane's room; one of her windows is right over those men. If what I hear makes it necessary for me to see Clarence, I shall go to town. Get a horse saddled immediately and come to me."

CHAPTER XXV.-_The Squatter and the Don._

Everett found Lucy in Jane's room. Both were sewing by the window he wanted. He squeezed himself into a seat between his sisters, saying:

"Girls, I want to hear. Hush! Listen!"

Voices were heard below. All listened. As Webster was coming down stairs he saw John Gasbang going out at the other end of the parlor, pushing a large arm-chair out upon the porch. He heard them laughing at some of Gasbang's coarse, vulgar jokes, and then all sat down. After some desultory talk, Mathews, evidently anxious to begin at what they had to state, said:

"I am afraid, neighbor Darrell, that somebody has been fooling you and laughing at you, or if not, then the thing will look as if _you yourself_ had been fooling us and laughing at us. This we can hardly believe."

"We don't believe at all," Hughes explained, seeing Darrell's brow darken.

Jane's window was possessed of most favorable acoustic qualities. Every word could be distinctly heard.

"I don't understand you," says Darrell, gruffly. "I am not given to joking or laughing much, and I never knew that anybody dared to laugh at me."

"Precisely!" Hughes exclaimed, bowing deferentially.

"Did you ever give us to understand that this land you occupy you had bought and paid for?" Mathews asked.

"No. I said to the Don I would pay when the title is settled; that's all. You all heard that."

"But you never paid him any money?"