They walked on together, side by side, he leading his horse by the bridle hung loosely over his shoulder. The horse after its very long journey of to-day and yesterday was tired out, and only too willing to go straight to his stable.
They did not now talk much. Don Joaquin, watching them as they came from the house door, saw that.
CHAPTER XII.
"Mr. Gore came back with you," he said to Mariquita as she joined him. Gore had gone round to the stables with his horse.
"Yes. As he came back from Maxwell he passed the place where I was sitting, and we came on together—after talking for a time."
Mariquita did not think her father was cross-examining her. Nor was he. He was not given to inquisitiveness, and seldom scrutinized her doings.
"Mr. Gore," she continued, "went to Maxwell for the sake of going to Mass."
"So he is a Catholic!" And Mariquita observed with pleasure that her father spoke in a tone of satisfaction. He had never before appeared to be in the least concerned with the religion of any of the men about the place.
That night, after Sarella and Mariquita had gone to bed, Don Joaquin had another satisfaction. He and Gore were alone, smoking; all the large party ate together, but the cowboys went off to their own quarters after meals. Only Don Joaquin, his daughter, Sarella and Gore slept in the dwelling-house. So high up above sea-level, it was cold enough at night, and the log fire was pleasant.