Carmelita greeted the American cordially. "I am delighted to see you in my father's house."
"I reckon it's a good place to be in. Wish I could stay longer, but I'm anxious to get to Monterey."
He was obdurate to Mendoza's urging him to remain as his guest till more could be learned as to the renegades.
"I can travel by night along a trail I know. They won't see I'm not one of themselves. All men look alike in the dark."
Mendoza, greatly reluctant, allowed Brown to be off. He sent a strong guard of fighting peons with him.
"Reckon it's the proper caper to travel in style now I'm a landed proprietor. Gosh! Wouldn't my dad be proud to see me now!"
"When you come to this house you come to your own," the host had insisted at parting.
"Mr. Mendoza is a tolerable generous old gent," Brown remarked to the leader of peons who rode by his side.
"No sabe, señor."
"Well, your ignorance is thick enough to be cut with a knife. Hey?"