the brickyard; then Serrenos' cousins came to help him.
During the strike, the master mechanic put a gang of
Mexicans to work in the roundhouse. The Mexicans had
arrived so quietly, with their blankets and musical instru-
ments, that before Moonstone was awake to the fact, there
was a Mexican quarter; a dozen families or more.

As Thea and the doctor approached the 'dobe houses,
they heard a guitar, and a rich barytone voice--that of
Famos Serrenos--singing "La Golandrina." All the
Mexican houses had neat little yards, with tamarisk hedges
and flowers, and walks bordered with shells or white-
washed stones. Johnny's house was dark. His wife, Mrs.
Tellamantez, was sitting on the doorstep, combing her
long, blue-black hair. (Mexican women are like the Spar-
tans; when they are in trouble, in love, under stress of any

kind, they comb and comb their hair.) She rose without
embarrassment or apology, comb in hand, and greeted the
doctor.

"Good-evening; will you go in?" she asked in a low,
musical voice. "He is in the back room. I will make a
light." She followed them indoors, lit a candle and handed
it to the doctor, pointing toward the bedroom. Then she
went back and sat down on her doorstep.

Dr. Archie and Thea went into the bedroom, which was