“She’s the most beautiful and charming girl I have ever met.”

“She is beautiful and charming.  Her family, like mine, had become more or less decayed about the time I enlisted, but fortunately her mother had a quarter section of land down in Ventura County and when a wild-cat oil operator on adjacent land brought in a splendid well, Senora Sepulvida was enabled to dispose of her land at a thousand dollars an acre and a royalty of one-eighth on all of the oil produced.  The first well drilled was a success and in a few years the Sepulvida family will be far wealthier than it ever was.  Meanwhile their ranch here has been saved from loss by foreclosure.  Old Don Juan, Anita’s father, is dead.”

“Anita is the only child, is she not?”

He nodded.  “Ma Sepulvida is a lady of the old school,” he continued.  “Very dignified, very proud of her distinguished descent—­”

“And very fond of you,” Kay interrupted.

“Always was, Kay.  She’s an old peach.  Came to the hospital and cried over me and wanted to loan me enough money to lift the mortgage on my ranch.”

“Then—­then—­your problem is—­solved,” Kay found difficulty in voicing the sentence.

He nodded.  She turned her face away that he might not see the pallor that overspread it.  “It is a very great comfort to me,” he resumed presently, “to realize that the world is not altogether barren of love and kindness.”

“It must be,” she murmured, her face still averted.

“It was the dearest wish of my poor father and of Anita’s that the ancient friendship between the families should be cemented by a marriage between Anita and me.  For me Senora Sepulvida would be a marvelous mother-in-law, because she’s my kind of people and we understand each other.  Really, I feel tremendously complimented because, even before the oil strike saved the family from financial ruin, Anita did not lack opportunities for many a more brilliant match.”

“She’s—­dazzling,” Kay murmured drearily.  “What a brilliant wife she will be for you!”

“Anita is far too fine a woman for such a sacrifice.  I’ve always entertained a very great affection for her and she for me.  There’s only one small bug in our amber.”

“And that—­”

“We aren’t the least bit in love with each other.  We’re children of a later day and we object to the old-fashioned method of a marriage arranged by papa and mama.  I know there must be something radically wrong with me; otherwise I never could resist Anita.”

“But you are going to marry her, are you not?”

“I am not.  She wouldn’t marry me on a bet.  And of course I didn’t accept her dear old mother’s offer of financial aid.  Couldn’t, under the circumstances, and besides, it would not be kind of me to transfer my burden to them.  I much prefer to paddle my own canoe.”

He noticed a rush of color to the face as she turned abruptly toward him now.  “What a heritage of pride you have, Miguel.  But are you quite certain Anita does not love you?  You should have heard all the nice things she said about you to-day.”