“I’ve got all I want,” the squirrel poisoner answered.  “It’s a pleasure to me to serve you.  You don’t need to offer no rewards, except to keep me near you, my lady, and give me my bite and sup.  You ought to know that by this time—­anyhow since a year ago.”

“I know!  And you’re clever, as well as faithful.  I should never have thought of as good a way as—­as this.  No one could possibly prove it was anything but an accident.  Did you—­see her, Simeon?”

“Yes; I wasn’t far off when Nick’s big yeller automobile spilt you both out at the door.  To my idea, she ain’t nothing to you.  I was never one for blondes.”

“If you could see Nick’s eyes when he looks at her!  Those are the times when I feel like the Roman Empress.  I was glad he wouldn’t stay to lunch.  Though I asked, I don’t think I could have stood having him.  I’d have done something desperate, maybe, and spoilt everything.  She’s lying down now.  I made her promise she would till half an hour before lunch.  Nick’s coming for us, with his auto, at five.  He wanted it to be earlier, but I told him she was tired, and it would be too hot for her to walk around Lucky Star in the glare, where there aren’t any trees.  It’s all got to happen and be over with before five, Simeon.  She’ll never see Nick’s ranch she talks so much of.”  Again Carmen shivered, and her eyes were wide and staring, curiously glazed.  She knew that she was looking almost plain to-day, and had been actually terrified by her own face in the glass before she came out to keep the appointment with Simeon Harp.  But it did not matter what she looked like before Simeon.  When Nick came and saw her again next time there would be reason why he would have no eyes for her.  And later, when all this was over, she would come back into her beauty again.  She must!

“What time are you having lunch, my lady?” Simeon inquired in a matter-of-fact tone, his harsh voice sounding just as usual.

“At one.”

“And you’ll send her out?”

“At half-past two.”

“Right, my lady.  That’ll bring her to the place I want about three or a little after.”

“Yes.  You’re sure nothing can go wrong?”

“Sure as ever I was about a squirrel.”

“Oh!” Carmen shivered, and turning away from him without another word she went back to the house.

No one had seen them talking together; and even if they had been seen it would not have mattered.  Mrs. Gaylor often chatted with the old squirrel poisoner, who was known to be devoted to her; a harmless creature who hurt nobody—­except himself and the squirrels.

XXVIII

THE DARK CLOUD IN THE CRYSTAL