in barracks, hoping for a flash in the pan between two rival houses, or
a possible revolt against a governor. If the Americans should come with
intent to conquer! Roldan ground his teeth and stamped his foot. Then,
indeed, he could not get to the battlefield fast enough. But the United
States would never defy Mexico. They were clever enough for that. His
anger left him, and he gave a little regretful sigh. Not only would he
like that kind of a battle, but it would be great fun to know some
American boys. Then he shook his head impatiently and dismissed these
tourist thoughts. The present alone was to be considered.

There were two ways to avoid conscription. One was to marry--Roldan
sniffed audibly; the other lay in flight and eluding the men until their
round was over for the year.

Roldan did not like the idea of running away from anything; he and
several of his father's vaqueros had once made an assault upon a band of
cattle thieves and hunted them into the mountains: that was much more to
his taste. Nevertheless there was one thing he liked less than showing
his heels, and that was giving up his liberty. Not to gallop at will
over the rancho, or sleep in a hammock, to coliar the bulls and shout
with the vaqueros at rodeo, to be the first at the games and the races,
to wear his silken clothes and lace ruffles, and eat the delightful
dishes his mother's cooks prepared! And then he was a very high-spirited
young gentleman. Although the same obedience, almost reverence, was
exacted of him by his parents that was a part of the household religion
in California, yet as the youngest child, who had been delicate during
his first five years, he had managed to get very badly spoiled. He did
not relish the idea of leading a life of monotony and discipline, of
performing hourly duties which did not suit his taste, above all of
being ordered to leave his father's house as if he were a mere Indian.