146 THE DESERT AND THE ROSE 



Someone has left the back door screen open, and 

 in the hall stands Nina, too absorbed with the tasty 

 contents of the icebox to observe her mistress. Non- 

 chalant and undismayed by novel surroundings she 

 has climbed the steps and is sampling a pan of 

 cream — rich Jersey cream — and not finding it to 

 her liking is sneezing it over walls and floor, and 

 ends by throwing the pan out of the box. While I 

 still stand at gaze, uncertain how to act, she se- 

 lects a cake, and finding it more to her taste begins 

 to munch it contentedly, although spitting out the 

 filling whenever so disposed. A nice mess ! 



Noiselessly I turn about, and flee for Ricardo. 

 He will be equal to a decidedly delicate situation; 

 for a panic must be avoided at all costs, and Nina 

 might lose her self control if ejected forcibly from 

 a dwelling in which she distinctly does not belong. 



"Nina in a la casa!" ejaculates the boy. 



"Yes ! And the icebox was left open because there 

 is no ice, and — I" 



But Ricardo is already running for his life. 



Arrived at the house, he strolls serenely up to 

 the naughty one and in dulcet tones represents to 

 her the larger joys of the outdoor life. Perhaps 

 she is sick of cake, or else her predilection for 

 Ricardo's society prevails over the desires of the 

 palate; at all events she allows him to lead her 

 out of my house. She will consent to any innova- 

 tion on her privileges so long as human companion- 

 ship be thrown in. 



We who lead the simple life are in the habit of 

 going after our own laundry. One day I drove up 



