Pablo returned presently, with two suits of clothing, a soft
white-linen shirt, a black necktie, a pair of low-cut brown shoes, and
a pair of brown socks. These articles he laid out on the bed. Then he
made another trip to the other room, and returned bearing an armful of
framed portraits of the entire Noriaga and Farrel dynasty, which he
proceeded to hang in a row on the wall at the foot of the bed. Lastly,
he removed a rather fancy spread from the bed and substituted therefor
an ancient silk crazy-quilt that had been made by Don Mike's
grandmother. Things were now as they used to be, and Pablo was
satisfied.

When he came out, Kay had gone in to dinner; so he returned to his own
_casa_ and squatted against the wall, with his glance fixed upon the
point in the palm avenue where it dipped over the edge of the mesa.




VII

At seven o'clock, dinner being over, Kay excused herself to the family
and Mr. Okada, passed out through the patio gate, and sought a bench
which she had noticed under a catalpa tree outside the wall. From this
seat, she, like Pablo, could observe anybody coming up the palm-lined
avenue. A young moon was rising over the hills, and by its light Kay
knew she could detect Don Mike while he was yet some distance from the
house.

At seven-thirty, he had not appeared, and she grew impatient and
strolled round to the other side of the hacienda. Before Pablo's