When the musical gong sounded for luncheon, and Carmen came down from her room at one o’clock, she found her guest already in the garden, as lovely a garden as Angela had seen in her sleep.  For a minute Carmen stood on a step of the brick terrace, looking at the slender figure in white.  Angela did not hear the faint rustling of muslin.  Her back was half turned to the house, and she was watching the aerial architecture of the fountain, delicate domes and pinnacles built of crystal.  Carmen thought reluctantly that Mrs. May looked very young in her white frock, not more than eighteen or nineteen.  She wondered if the love pirate enjoyed life very much, and whether she really cared for Nick and wanted to marry him or whether she was only flirting.  Then the profile at which Carmen had been gloomily gazing turned into a full face.  Angela smiled at Mrs. Gaylor.  “You must have hypnotized me,” she said.  “Suddenly I felt I was being looked at by some one.  Have you been taking a nap, too?”

“No,” said her hostess.  “I knew I couldn’t go to sleep.  I’m glad if you rested.  You look very fresh.”

Angela could not conscientiously return the compliment.  Mrs. Gaylor might have been travelling for a week instead of one night.

Luncheon was in the pergola, where Carmen and Nick had dined together the night he went away; the night—­as she expressed it to herself of late—­when she had lost him.  Angela had never seen a more beautiful place, and said so, trying to make conversation; for now that Nick was not with them she felt ill at ease with Mrs. Gaylor.  “What a garden!” she exclaimed.  “The other night in the Yosemite I dreamed of just such a garden—­and I think, at the end of the dream there was a woman in it—­rather like you.  You must be very happy here.”

“Yes, I’m happy enough,” said Carmen.  “Oh!  I mustn’t forget to tell you—­Nick came back.  Did you hear his automobile?”

“No.  I must have been asleep.”

“I thought you were.  Besides, your room’s on the other side of the house.”

“It’s beautifully quiet and cool.  Did Mr. Hilliard come to change the plan for this afternoon?”

“Yes.  He turned round before getting home, because he’d remembered something he had to do at six, something important, business with the men who’ve bought his gusher.  They’re to look at another one—­smaller, but pretty good—­and see if they want to buy it too; a new gusher that’s burst out on the land Nick kept for his own.  So he thought perhaps we wouldn’t mind going over to look at the place a good deal earlier, after all, in spite of the heat.  He won’t let you be exposed to the sun more than he can help.”

“I don’t mind the heat, if you don’t,” said Angela.