Jose, I tell you, has loved her too long to stand now with
the sombrero in hand while that arrogant hombre steals her away. When
the shoulder is well--and truly, it was near broken--and when they
meet at the rodeo, then you shall see what will happen to your new
gringo friend."
Valencia did not quarrel with Manuel. He merely listened and smiled
his startlingly sunny smile, and afterwards repeated Manuel's words
almost verbatim to Jack. Later, he recounted as much as he considered
politic to Don Andres himself, just to show how bitter Manuel had
become and how unjust. Valencia, it must be admitted, was not in any
sense working in the interests of peace. He looked forward with a good
deal of eagerness to that meeting of which Manuel prated. He had all
the faith of your true hero-worshiper in his new friend, and with the
story of that last eventful day which Jack had spent in San Francisco
to build his faith upon, he confidently expected to see Jose learn a
much-needed lesson in humility--aye, and Manuel also.
Since even the best-natured gossip is like a breeze to fan the flames
of dissension, Don Andres spent an anxious hour in devising a plan
that would preserve the peace he loved better even than prosperity.
While he smoked behind the passion vines on the veranda, he thought
his way slowly from frowns to a smile of satisfaction, and finally
called a peon scurrying across the patio to stand humbly before him
while he gave a calm order.
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