"Ah! Thank you so much. Your father is rich, is he not?"
"I think he possesses more money than he will ever need," she replied soberly.
"Please try to make him see that the big American thing to do would be to colonize his land in the San Gregorio for white men and take a lesser profit. Really, I do not relish the idea of Japanese neighbors."
"Hope to die there, too. You leave the train at El Toro, I suppose?"
"My father has telegraphed mother to have the car meet us there. We shall motor out to the ranch. And are you alighting at El Toro also?"
"No. I plan to pile off at Sespe, away up the line, and take a short cut via a cattle-trail over the hills. I'll hike it."
"I'm sure father would be very happy to give you a lift out from El Toro, Sergeant. We shall have oodles of room."
"Thank you. You are very kind. But the fact is," he went on to explain, "nobody knows I'm coming home, and I have a childish desire to sneak in the back way and surprise them. Were I to appear in El Toro, I'd have to shake hands with everybody in town and relate a history of my exploits and--"
"I understand perfectly. You just want to get home, don't you?" And she bent upon him a smile of complete understanding--a smile all-compelling, maternal. "But did you say you'd hike it in from Sespe? Why not hire a horse?"
"I'd like to have a horse, and if I cared to ask far one, I could borrow one. But I'll hike it instead. It will be easy in light marching-order."
"Speaking of horses," she said abruptly. "Do you know a horse in the San Gregorio named Panchito?"
"A very dark chestnut with silver mane and tail, five-gaited, and as stylish as a lady?"
"I should say I do know that horse! What about him?"
This was news, and Farrel's manner indicated as much.
"Where did you see Panchito?" he demanded.
"An Indian named Pablo rode him into El Toro to be shod one day while we were living at the hotel there. He's perfectly adorable."
"Be serious. Panchito--I was passing the blacksmith's shop, and I simply had to step in and admire him."
"That tickled old Pablo to death--of course."
"It did. He put Panchito through all of his tricks for me, and, after the horse was shod, he permitted me to ride the dear for half an hour. Pablo was so kind! He waited until I could run back to the hotel and change into my riding-habit."