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〃'What's the row？' I said； none too gentle。 She gave a start；
seemed to come out of her trance； and opened her eyes。 Say！ They
were big and black and beautiful。 Believe me； she was some looker
… 〃
〃The hussy！〃 At which hiss the two mud…hens veered away a few
feet。 But Jones was getting himself in hand； and didn't even
blink。
〃'What are you stopping this locomotive for？' I demanded in
Spanish。 Nary an answer。 She stared at me； then at the snorting
engine and then burst into tears； which you'll admit is uncommon
behaviour for an Indian woman。
〃'If you try to get rides that way；' I slung at her in Spiggoty
Spanish （which they tell me is some different from regular
Spanish）； 'you'll be taking one smeared all over our cowcatcher and
headlight； and it'll be up to my fireman to scrape you off。'
〃My Spiggoty Spanish wasn't much to brag on； but I could see she
understood； though she only shook her head and wouldn't speak。 But
great Moses； she was some looker … 〃
I glanced apprehensively at Mrs。 Jones； who must have caught me out
of the tail of her eye； for she muttered： 〃If she hadn't been do
you think he'd a…taken her into his house to live？〃
〃Now hold on； Sarah；〃 he protested。 〃That ain't fair。 Besides；
I'm telling this。 … Next thing； Seth yells at me； 'Goin' to stay
here all night？'
〃'Come on；' I said to the girl； 'and climb on board。 But next time
you want a ride don't flag a locomotive between stations。' She
followed along； but when I got to the step and turned to give her a
lift…up； she wasn't there。 I went forward again。 Not a sign of
her。 Above and below was sheer cliff； and the track stretched
ahead a hundred yards clear and empty。 And then I spotted her；
crouched down right against the cowcatcher； that close I'd almost
stepped on her。 If we'd started up； we'd have run over her in a
second。 It was all so nonsensical； I never could make out her
actions。 Maybe she was trying to suicide。 I grabbed her by the
wrist and jerked her none too gentle to her feet。 And she came
along all right。 Women do know when a man means business。〃
I glanced from this Goliath to his little； bird…eyed spouse； and
wondered if he had ever tried to mean business with her。
〃Seth kicked at first； but I boosted her into the cab and made her
sit up beside me … 〃
〃And I suppose Seth was busy running the engine；〃 Mrs。 Jones
observed。
〃I was breaking him in； wasn't I？〃 Mr。 Jones protested。 〃So we
made the run into Amato。 She'd never opened her mouth once； and no
sooner'd the engine stopped than she'd jumped to the ground and was
gone。 Just like that。 Not a thank you kindly。 Nothing。
〃But next morning when we came to pull out for Quito with a dozen
flat cars loaded with rails； there she was in the cab waiting for
us； and in the daylight I could see how much better a looker she
was than the night before。
〃'Huh！ she's adopted you；' Seth grins。 And it looked like it。 She
just stood there and looked at me … at us … like a loving hound dog
that you love； that you've caught with a string of sausages inside
of him； and that just knows you ain't going to lift a hand to him。
'Go chase yourself！' I told her PRONTO。〃 （Mrs。 Jones her proximity
noticeable with a wince at the Spanish word。） 〃You see； Sarah； I'd
no use for her； even at the start。〃
Mrs。 Jones stiffened。 Her lips moved soundlessly； but I knew to
what syllables。
〃And what made it hardest was Seth jeering at me。 'You can't shake
her that way；' he said。 'You saved her life … ' 'I didn't；' I
said sharply； 'it was you。' 'But she thinks you did； which is the
same thing；' he came back at me。 'And now she belongs to you。
Custom of the country； as you ought to know。'〃
〃Heathenish；〃 said Mrs。 Jones； and though her steady gaze was set
upon the Tower of Jewels I knew she was making no reference to its
architecture。
〃'She's come to do light housekeeping for you；' Seth grinned。 I
let him rave； though afterwards I kept him throwing in the coal too
fast to work his mouth very much。 Why； say； when I got to the spot
where I picked her up； and stopped the train for her to get off；
she just flopped down on her knees； got a hammerlock with her arms
around my knees； and cried all over my shoes。 What was I to do？〃
With no perceptible movement that I was aware of； Mrs。 Jones
advertised her certitude of knowledge of what SHE would have done。
〃And the moment we pulled into Quito； she did what she'd done
before … vanished。 Sarah never believes me when I say how relieved
I felt to be quit of her。 But it was not to be。 I got to my 'dobe
house and managed a cracking fine dinner my cook had ready for me。
She was mostly Spiggoty and half Indian； and her name was Paloma。 …
Now； Sarah； haven't I told you she was older'n a grandmother； and
looked more like a buzzard than a dove？ Why； I couldn't bear to
eat with her around where I could look at her。 But she did make
things comfortable； and she was some economical when it came to
marketing。
〃That afternoon； after a big long siesta； what'd I find in the
kitchen； just as much at home as if she belonged there； but that
blamed Indian girl。 And old Paloma was squatting at the girl's
feet and rubbing the girl's knees and legs like for rheumatism；
which I knew the girl didn't have from the way I'd sized up the
walk of her； and keeping time to the rubbing with a funny sort of
gibberish chant。 And I let loose right there and then。 As Sarah
knows； I never could a…bear women around the house … young；
unmarried women； I mean。 But it was no go！ Old Paloma sided with
the girl； and said if the girl went she went； too。 Also； she
called me more kinds of a fool than the English language has
accommodation for。 You'd like the Spanish lingo； Sarah； for
expressing yourself in such ways； and you'd have liked old Paloma；
too。 She was a good woman； though she didn't have any teeth and
her face could kill a strong man's appetite in the cradle。
〃I gave in。 I had to。 Except for the excuse that she needed
Vahna's help around the house （which she didn't at all）； old Paloma
never said why she stuck up for the girl。 Anyway； Vahna was a
quiet thing； never in the way。 And she never gadded。 Just sat in…
doors jabbering with Paloma and helping with the chores。 But I
wasn't long in getting on to that she was afraid of something。 She
would look up； that anxious it hurt； whenever anybody called； like
some of the boys to have a gas or a game of pedro。 I tried to worm
it out of Paloma what was worrying the girl； but all the old woman
did was to look solemn and shake her head like all the devils in
hell was liable to precipitate a visit on us。
〃And then one day Vahna had a visitor。 I'd just come in from a run
and was passing the time of day with her … I had to be polite； even
if she had butted in on me and come to live in my house for keeps …
when I sa