strange restraining idiosyncrasy of temperament had quite denationalized
him. A bookish recluse, somewhat superfastidious towards his own
countrymen, the more Clarence knew him the more singular appeared
his acquaintance with Flynn; but as he did not exhibit more
communicativeness on this point than upon their own kinship, Clarence
finally concluded that it was due to the dominant character of his
former friend, and thought no more about it. He entered upon the new
life at El Refugio with no disturbing past. Quickly adapting himself to
the lazy freedom of this hacienda existence, he spent the mornings
on horseback ranging the hills among his cousin's cattle, and the
afternoons and evenings busied among his cousin's books with equally
lawless and undisciplined independence. The easy-going Don Juan, it is
true, attempted to make good his rash promise to teach the boy Spanish,
and actually set him a few tasks; but in a few weeks the quick-witted
Clarence acquired such a colloquial proficiency from his casual
acquaintance with vaqueros and small traders that he was glad to
leave the matter in his young kinsman's hands. Again, by one of those
illogical sequences which make a lifelong reputation depend upon a
single trivial act, Clarence's social status was settled forever at El
Refugio Rancho by his picturesque diversion of Flynn's parting gift. The
grateful peon to whom the boy had scornfully tossed the coin repeated
the act, gesture, and spirit of the scene to his companion, and Don
Juan's unknown and youthful relation was at once recognized as hijo
de la familia, and undeniably a hidalgo born and bred. But in the
more vivid imagination of feminine El Refugio the incident reached its
highest poetic form. "It is true, Mother of God," said Chucha of the
Mill; "it was Domingo who himself relates it as it were the Creed. When
the American escort had arrived with the young gentleman, this escort,
look you, being not of the same quality, he is departing again without a
word of permission. Comes to him at this moment my little hidalgo. 'You
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