48 OBSERVATIONS OF A RANCHWOMAN 



1 Then I won't pay the wages of four.' 



* But two men did four days' work/ 



' All in one day ? That is impossible/ 

 ' But, senora, they did !' 



* Muchacho, that cannot be. I must under- 

 stand better before I pay two men the wages 

 of four. Go, and request the mayordomo to 

 look into this affair.' 



Presently appeared the mayordomo. 



1 Senora, the bill is correct. The men 

 have worked.' 



' Senor, I repeat the thing is impossible ! 

 Two men cannot in one day do the work of 

 four men.' 



' Senora,' impatiently, 'four men worked.' 



* Why, then, did this muchacho tell me 

 that only two worked, and why are not 

 the names of Matildo and Jesus on the 

 bill ?' 



' He told you that only two worked,' yet 

 more impatiently, as if I should have divined 

 by instinct his process of reasoning, ' because 

 there was no room on the bill for the names 

 of the others.' 



Here, as often, fortunately, the situation 

 developed itself into the ridiculous, and 



