considered the effeminate-appearing young Mexican who had bade him
bring water and the girl talking with him; which she must have noticed
and taken to herself, for when their eyes met he saw that a flush dyed
her cheeks and that she bit her lip nervously.

He snapped the radiator cap shut. At the click the man stopped
fingering his moustache, ended his talk, mounted to his seat, and
started the engine. Bryant handed him the bucket, folded flat again,
which the recipient tossed down by his feet.

"Here, my man," said the olive-skinned young fellow at the wheel, with
a forefinger and thumb searching a waistcoat pocket as the car began
slowly to move forward.

He tossed a quarter to the engineer. Bryant instinctively caught it,
as one catches any suddenly thrown object. For an instant he remained
transfixed, incredulous, astounded, then the blood flamed in his face
and he cast the coin back at its donor.

"No Mexican can throw money to me!" he exclaimed.

For answer he received an angry look and snarled word from the driver.
Beyond the man Bryant beheld the startled, embarrassed, and yet
interested face of the girl with the veil, her lips a little parted,
her eyes intent on him. Then the car lurched out of the sand, splashed
through the rivulet, ascended the inclined roadway of the creek bank,
and sped from view.

The sudden spark of antagonism flashing between the engineer and the
young Mexican made the two girls by the ponies acutely aware that the