A PECULIAR WEDDING-JOURNEY. 77 



of waiting. The fact first observed was that every 

 man and woman in the village was an inveterate 

 cigarette-smoker. The children had driven their 

 herds of goats to the mountains and the lazy oxen were 

 drawing their creaking and groaning carts or haul- 

 ing heavy logs to the sawmill, which puffed and 

 buzzed a short distance down the river. Fires were 

 started in the big out-door beehive oven ready for 

 the week's baking, and village life was in full blast, 

 when the campers were startled by a loud hail in a 

 voice that to Dyche had a familiar ring. 



" Ha-o, there ! Como le va?" 



" Como le va yourself." 



"Who's this you've got with you?" 



"This is my wife. I'm married now," replied 

 Dyche. 



" Well, I want to know ! So you're married ! And 

 you thought you would come to the finest country in 

 the world for your wedding- trip?" 



" I see that you haven't lost old Reuben yet." 



" Lost him? Why, you couldn't lose him if you 

 tried. He's just the meanest old burro in the whole 

 country. He steals eggs and eats young chickens 

 every chance he gets. If you and Brown had killed 

 him for a specimen when you were here, it would 

 have saved me much trouble and bad temper. I had 

 to bring him along, for I darsn't leave him at the 

 ranch." 



"Well, why can't Mrs. Dyche ride him to the 

 ranch? He's gentle enough and she will be in no 

 danger in going over the trail." 



No sooner suggested than acted on, and the saddle 



