"Yes--he said he was going to hike out, or something to that effect," responded Jeff absently--the fact being that he was not thinking of Gibson, at all, but was pondering deeply upon Miss Ellinor Hoffman. Had she gone to New York according to the original plan? It did not seem probable. Her face stood out before him--bright, vivid, sparkling, as he had seen her last, in the court room of Arcadia. Good heavens! Was that only a week ago? Seven days? It seemed seven years!--No--she had not gone--at least, certainly not until she was sure that he, Jeff, had made good his escape. Then, perhaps, she might have gone. Perhaps her mother had made her go. Oh, well!--New York wasn't far, as he had told her that first wonderful day on Rainbow Rim. What a marvelous day that was! Jeff was suddenly struck with the thought that he had never seen Ellinor's mother. Great Scott! She had a father, too! How annoying! He meditated upon this unpleasant theme for a space. Then, as if groping in a dark room, he had suddenly turned on the light, his thought changed to--_What a girl! Ah, what a wonderful girl! Where is she?_ Looking up, Jeff became once more aware of Johnny Dines, leg curled around the horn of the new saddle, elbow on knee, cheek on hand, contemplating his poor friend with benevolent pity. And then Jeff knew that he could make no queries of Johnny Dines. Johnny spake soothingly. "You are in North America. This is the Twentieth Century. Your name is Bransford. That round bright object is the sun. This direction is East. This way is called 'up.' This is a stream of water that you see. It is called the Rio River Grand Big. We are advertised by our loving friends. I cannot sing the old songs. There's a reason. Two of a kind flock together. Never trump your pardner's ace. It's a wise child that dreads the fire. Wake up! Come out of it! Change cars!" "I ought to kill you," said Jeff. "Now giggle, you idiot, and make everybody hate you!--Wait till I say _Adios_ to my old compadre and the rest of the Escobar _gente_ and I'll side you to El Paso." "Not I. Little Johnny, he'll make San Elizario ferry by noon and Helm's by dark. Thought maybe so you'd be going along." "Why, no," said Jeff uneasily. "I guess maybe I'll go up to El Paso and june around a spell." "Oh, well--just as you say! Such bein' the case, I'll be jogging." "Better wait till after dinner--I'll square it with Don Francisco if ... anything's missing." "No--that makes too long a jaunt for this afternoon. Me for San Elizario. So long!" But beyond the first _acequia_ he turned and rode back. "Funny thing, Jeff! Remember me telling you about a girl I saw on Mayhill, the day Nigger Babe throwed you off? Now, what was that girl's name?--I've forgotten again. Oh, yes!--Hoffman--Miss Ellinor Hoffman. Well--she's at Arcadia still. The mother lady was all for going back to New York--but, no, sir! Girl says she's twenty-one, likes Arcadia, and she's going to stay a spell. Leastwise, so I hear."