“Very well, John; I’ll be serious.”  His wife turned to Farrel.  “Mr. Farrel,” she continued, “while you were away, I had a very bright idea.  You are much too few in the family for such a large house, and it occurred to me that you might care to lease the Palomar hacienda to us for a year.  I’m so weary of hotels and equally weary of a town house, with its social obligations and the insolence of servants—­particularly cooks.  John needs a year here, and we would so like to remain if it could be arranged.  Your cook, Carolina, is not the sort that leaves one’s employ in the middle of a dinner-party.”

“Would five hundred dollars a month for the house and the use of Carolina and three saddle-horses interest you, Mr. Farrel?  From our conversation of this morning, I judge you have abandoned hope of redeeming the property, and during the year of the redemption period, six thousand dollars might—­ah—­er—­”

“Well, it would be better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick,” Don Miguel replied genially.  “I need the money; so I accept—­but with certain reservations.  I like Carolina’s cooking, too; I have a couple of hundred head of cattle to look after, and I’d like to reserve one room, my place at this table, and my position as master of Palomar.  Of course, I’m not so optimistic as to think you folks would accept of my hospitality for a year, so I suggest that you become what our British cousins call ‘paying guests,’ albeit I had never expected to fall low enough to make such a dastardly proposition.  Really, it abases me.  It’s never been done before in this house.”

“I declare you’re the most comfortable young man to have around that I have ever known.  Isn’t he, Kay?” Mrs. Parker declared.

“I think you’re very kind,” the girl assured him.  “And I think it will be very delightful to be paying guests to such a host, Don Mike Farrel.”

“Then it’s settled,” Parker announced, much relieved.

“And let us here highly resolve that we shall always be good friends and dwell together in peace,” Kay suggested.

“I made that resolve when you met me at the gate last night, Miss Parker.  Hark!  Methinks I hear a young riot.  Well, we cannot possibly have any interest in it, and, besides, we’re talking business now.  Mr. Parker, there isn’t the slightest hope of my earning sufficient money to pay the mortgage you hold against this ranch of mine, so I have resolved to gamble for it whenever and wherever I can.  You have agreed to pay me six thousand dollars, in return for which I guarantee to feed you and your family and servants well, and house you comfortably and furnish three saddle-horses, with saddles and bridles, for a period of one year.  Understand?”

“Understood.”

Don Miguel Farrel took two dice out of his pocket and cuddled them in his palm.

“I’ll roll you the bones, one flop, twelve thousand dollars or nothing, sir,” he challenged.