Perhaps it was not altogether so friendly a scrutiny of her charming features as Gracia expected, for he remembered what she had done to his pardner; but if she sensed such a rare thing as disapproval from a young man, she was too excited to show it. Her lips trembled, and she looked back furtively, meanwhile drawing him into an alcove by the slightest twitch of his sleeve. "Don't talk too loud," she whispered. "My mother is listening from the room--but for the love of God, tell me, where is Phil?" "I don't know," answered Bud, trying to lower his big voice to a boudoir softness; "he joined the _rurales_ and was ordered north--that's all I know." "Yes, yes, to be sure; but haven't you heard from him?" She seemed to be all impatience to snatch his news and fly with it, but Bud was in no such hurry. And so far was he from being a carpet knight that he immediately raised his voice to its normal bass. It was all right for Phil and his kind to talk by signs and whispers, but that was not his style. "Not since he went away," he said. "He left me a little note, then, saying--" "Saying what?" she demanded breathlessly. "Well, saying that he had enlisted to keep from being executed, and--that's about all!" "And not a word about me?" "Yes," admitted Bud; "he said he'd try to put up with it--on account of you--and--" "What?" she entreated, taking him beseechingly by the coat. "Well," stammered Hooker, shifting his feet and looking away, "he told me to kinder take care of you--while he was gone." "Ah!" she breathed, still standing close to him, "and will you do it?" "I reckon so," said Bud, "if we have any trouble." "But I'm in trouble now!" she cried. "I'm watched--I can't get away--and I'm afraid!" "Afraid of what?" he demanded. "Of him," she answered, her voice breaking--"of Manuel del Rey!" "Well," replied Hooker bluntly, "I've got nothing to do with that--I can't interfere in your love-affairs--but if the's war and they try to take the town, you can count on me." "Oh, thank you," she said, bowing satirically. "And do you expect a war?" "Not with that bunch of _hombres_!" returned Bud, waving a disparaging hand toward the noise of the shouting. At this she broke down and laughed. Evidently she was not so fearful of discovery after all. "You forget, sir," she said, "that I am a Mexican!" Then, as he failed to show any signs of contrition, she changed her mood again. "But wait!" she ran on, her eyes flashing. "Perhaps we are not so eager to defend our government when we have a new one every year. But if the men who are gathering in Chihuahua invade our country, you will find that as Sonorans those men will fight to the death.