down the river to-day to a funeral, or a wedding, or a feast of stolen
chickens--they're all the same--and won't be here."

"Then take Manuel," repeated Mrs. Hale. "We have the Chinese servants
and Indian Molly in the house to protect us from Heaven knows what! I
have the greatest confidence in Chy-Lee as a warrior, and in Chinese
warfare generally. One has only to hear him pipe in time of peace to
imagine what a terror he might become in war time. Indeed, anything more
deadly and soul-harrowing than that love song he sang for us last night
I cannot conceive. But really, Kate, I am not afraid to stay alone. You
know what John says: we ought to be always prepared for anything that
might happen.

"My dear Josie," returned Kate, putting her arm around her sister's
waist, "I am perfectly convinced that if three-fingered Jack,
or two-toed Bill, or even Joaquim Murietta himself, should step,
red-handed, on that veranda, you would gently invite him to take a cup
of tea, inquire about the state of the road, and refrain delicately
from any allusions to the sheriff. But I shan't take Manuel from you.
I really cannot undertake to look after his morals at the station, and
keep him from drinking aguardiente with suspicious characters at the
bar. It is true he 'kisses my hand' in his speech, even when it is
thickest, and offers his back to me for a horse-block, but I think
I prefer the sober and honest familiarity of even that Pike County
landlord who is satisfied to say, 'Jump, girl, and I'll ketch ye!'"

"I hope you didn't change your manner to either of them for that," said
Mrs. Hale with a faint sigh. "John wants to be good friends with them,
and they are behaving quite decently lately, considering that they can't
speak a grammatical sentence nor know the use of a fork."