“Wisely decided,” Don Inocencio said. “And I will now take my leave, since I must go to the Circle, to see Hermengildo before the House to-night. Let me drive you, Mr. Ridden, since I pass your hotel.”
* * * * * * *
While they waited in the drive for the caleche a party of Pitubas, under a negro who wore a green feather in his hat, rode up to them. He saluted Rosa, and presented a warrant. Rosa read it, called Pablo, and gave him some directions. Pablo led the troops to the stables, from which they removed all the horses, including Carlotta’s team. The Senator’s horse, being old, they left. When they had secured these horses, they rode off with them to another White house further down the bay.
“They’re taking the horses,” Rosa explained. “They always begin by taking our horses. That’s the first danger sign.”
“But good heaven,” Hi said. “Why?”
“ ‘Military reasons,’ they say in their warrant; but they really mean, so that the Whites shall not communicate with each other.”
“Will you get them back?”
“No, probably not. You see, they’ve only gone to the White house down the bay; not to those two Red houses. This may make you understand our local politics a little. It shows you Santa Barbara as she is. It isn’t the Paradise it looks, is it?”
“It’s got angels in it,” he said.
“Hi,” she said, “I’m so anxious about her.”