“He didn’t make good this time, anyhow.  I’ll bet a hat he’d catch it if Miss Valdes knew what he had been doing.”

“She may be a Christian and all you say, Dick, but she don’t run a Sunday school on her ranch and train these young greasers proper.  I don’t like this ambushing.  They might git the wrong man.”

“I’m not partial to it, myself.  That lead pill hummed awful close to me.”

They had by this time returned to the road, and Dick picked up his hat from the dust.  There were two little round holes in the crown, and one in the brim.

“If he had shot an inch lower I would have qualified for that permanent residence, Steve,” Dick laughed.

“Hmp!  Let’s get out of here pronto, Dick.  I’m darned if I like to be the target at a shooting gallery.  And next time I go riding there’s going to be a good old Winchester lying over my saddle-horn.”

Now, as very chance would have it, Miss Valdes, too, rode the hill trail that afternoon; and every step of the broncos lessened the distance between them.

They met at a turn of the steep path.  Davis was in the lead, and the girl passed him just in time to meet Dick’s bow.  It was a very respectful bow; but there was a humorous irony in the gray eyes that met hers, which hinted at a different story.  She made as if to pass him, but, on an impulse, reined in.  His ventilated hat came off again, as he waited for her to speak.

For an instant she let her gaze rest in his, the subdued crimson of her cheeks triumphant over the olive.  But the color was not of embarrassment, and in her eyes shone the spirit of a descendant of old Don Alvaro de Valdes y Castillo.  She sat her mount superbly; as jimp and erect as a willow sapling.

“You received a message from me this morning, sir,” she said haughtily.

“Yes, Miss Valdes; I received a message from you this morning and answered it.  This afternoon I received one from one of your friends; but I haven’t answered that yet.”

As he spoke he let his eyes fall upon the hat in his hand.

Hers followed his, and she started in spite of herself.

“Did—­did—­were you shot at?” she asked, with dilating eyes.

“Oh, well!  He didn’t hit me.  It’s not worth mentioning.”

“Not worth mentioning?  Who did it, sir?  I demand to know who did it?”

He hesitated as he picked his words.

“You see—­well—­he was behind a rock, and not very close, at that.”

“But you knew him.  I demand his name.  He shall be punished.  I myself will see to that.”

“I’ll do what punishing needs to be done, Miss Valdes.  Much obliged to you, just the same.”

Her eyes flashed.

“You forget, sir, that they are my people.  I gave orders—­the very strictest orders.  I told them that, no matter what you did or how far you went, you were not to be molested.”

“How far I went?  You’ve been served with a legal notice, then?  I thought you must have by this time.”