"Mr.Grayson is up at the office, that little building to the left of the ranchhouse," replied the girl, pointing.
The newcomer had addressed her in Spanish, and as he heard her reply, in pure and liquid English, his eyes widened a trifle; but the familiar smile with which he had greeted her left his face, and his parting bow was much more dignified though no less profound than its predecessor.
And you, my sweet Penelope, out there somewhere you wait for me, With buds of roses in your hair and kisses on your mouth.
Grayson and his employer both looked up as the words of Knibbs' poem floated in to them through the open window.
"I wonder where that blew in from," remarked Grayson, as his eyes discovered Bridge astride the tired pony, looking at him through the window.A polite smile touched the stranger's lips as his eyes met Grayson's, and then wandered past him to the imposing figure of the Easterner.
"Good evening, gentlemen," said Bridge.
"Evenin'," snapped Grayson."Go over to the cookhouse and the Chink'll give you something to eat.Turn your pony in the lower pasture.Smith'll show you where to bunk tonight, an' you kin hev your breakfast in the mornin'.S'long!" The ranch superintendent turned back to the paper in his hand which he had been discussing with his employer at the moment of the interruption.He had volleyed his instructions at Bridge as though pouring a rain of lead from a machine gun, and now that he had said what he had to say the incident was closed in so far as he was concerned.
The hospitality of the Southwest permitted no stranger to be turned away without food and a night's lodging.Grayson having arranged for these felt that he had done all that might be expected of a host, especially when the uninvited guest was so obviously a hobo and doubtless a horse thief as well, for who ever knew a hobo to own a horse?
Bridge continued to sit where he had reined in his pony.He was looking at Grayson with what the discerning boss judged to be politely concealed enjoyment.
"Possibly," suggested the boss in a whisper to his aide, "the man has business with you.You did not ask him, and I am sure that he said nothing about wishing a meal or a place to sleep.""Huh?" grunted Grayson, and then to Bridge, "Well, what the devil DO you want?""A job," replied Bridge, "or, to be more explicit, I need a job--far be it from me to WISH one."The Easterner smiled.Grayson looked a bit mystified--and irritated.
"Well, I hain't got none," he snapped."We don't need nobody now unless it might be a good puncher--one who can rope and ride.""I can ride," replied Bridge, "as is evidenced by the fact that you now see me astride a horse.""I said RIDE," said Grayson."Any fool can SIT on a horse.
NO, I hain't got nothin', an' I'm busy now.Hold on!" he exclaimed as though seized by a sudden inspiration.He looked sharply at Bridge for a moment and then shook his head sadly."No, I'm afraid you couldn't do it--a guy's got to be eddicated for the job I got in mind.""Washing dishes?" suggested Bridge.
Grayson ignored the playfulness of the other's question.
"Keepin' books," he explained.There was a finality in his tone which said: "As you, of course, cannot keep books the interview is now over.Get out!""I could try," said Bridge."I can read and write, you know.Let me try." Bridge wanted money for the trip to Rio, and, too, he wanted to stay in the country until Billy was ready to leave.
"Savvy Spanish?" asked Grayson.
"I read and write it better than I speak it," said Bridge, "though I do the latter well enough to get along anywhere that it is spoken."Grayson wanted a bookkeeper worse than he could ever recall having wanted anything before in all his life.His better judgment told him that it was the height of idiocy to employ a ragged bum as a bookkeeper; but the bum was at least as much of a hope to him as is a straw to a drowning man, and so Grayson clutched at him.
"Go an' turn your cayuse in an' then come back here," he directed, "an' I'll give you a tryout.""Thanks," said Bridge, and rode off in the direction of the pasture gate.
"'Fraid he won't never do," said Grayson, ruefully, after Bridge had passed out of earshot.
"I rather imagine that he will," said the boss."He is an educated man, Grayson--you can tell that from his English, which is excellent.He's probably one of the great army of down-and-outers.The world is full of them--poor devils.
Give him a chance, Grayson, and anyway he adds another American to our force, and each one counts.""Yes, that's right; but I hope you won't need 'em before you an' Miss Barbara go," said Grayson.
