“I suppose John must have stopped at the Summit on some business,” said Mrs. Hale, “or he would have been here already.  It’s scarcely worth while waiting for him, unless you choose to ride over and meet him.  You might change your dress,” she continued, looking doubtfully at Kate’s costume.  “Put on your riding-habit, and take Manuel with you.”

“And take the only man we have, and leave you alone?” returned Kate slowly.  “No!”

“There are the Chinese field hands,” said Mrs. Hale; “you must correct your ideas, and really allow them some humanity, Kate.  John says they have a very good compulsory school system in their own country, and can read and write.”

“That would be of little use to you here alone if—­if—­” Kate hesitated.

“If what?” said Mrs. Hale smiling.  “Are you thinking of Manuel’s dreadful story of the grizzly tracks across the fields this morning?  I promise you that neither I, nor mother, nor Minnie shall stir out of the house until you return, if you wish it.”

“I wasn’t thinking of that,” said Kate; “though I don’t believe the beating of a gong and the using of strong language is the best way to frighten a grizzly from the house.  Besides, the Chinese are going down the river to-day to a funeral, or a wedding, or a feast of stolen chickens—­they’re all the same—­and won’t be here.”

“Then take Manuel,” repeated Mrs. Hale.  “We have the Chinese servants and Indian Molly in the house to protect us from Heaven knows what!  I have the greatest confidence in Chy-Lee as a warrior, and in Chinese warfare generally.  One has only to hear him pipe in time of peace to imagine what a terror he might become in war time.  Indeed, anything more deadly and soul-harrowing than that love song he sang for us last night I cannot conceive.  But really, Kate, I am not afraid to stay alone.  You know what John says:  we ought to be always prepared for anything that might happen.

“My dear Josie,” returned Kate, putting her arm around her sister’s waist, “I am perfectly convinced that if three-fingered Jack, or two-toed Bill, or even Joaquim Murietta himself, should step, red-handed, on that veranda, you would gently invite him to take a cup of tea, inquire about the state of the road, and refrain delicately from any allusions to the sheriff.  But I shan’t take Manuel from you.  I really cannot undertake to look after his morals at the station, and keep him from drinking aguardiente with suspicious characters at the bar.  It is true he ‘kisses my hand’ in his speech, even when it is thickest, and offers his back to me for a horse-block, but I think I prefer the sober and honest familiarity of even that Pike County landlord who is satisfied to say, ‘Jump, girl, and I’ll ketch ye!’”

“I hope you didn’t change your manner to either of them for that,” said Mrs. Hale with a faint sigh.  “John wants to be good friends with them, and they are behaving quite decently lately, considering that they can’t speak a grammatical sentence nor know the use of a fork.”