A favor of a nature to put
him under obligations for a lifetime he forgot as soon as it was
accepted. He caricatured a benefactor to his face, nor ever dreamed of
sparing friend or foe his light, pointed jibes which excoriated the
surface of the smoothest vanity.
No, the only virtues which could be accredited to Jose, and these were
sufficient, were an unfailing lightness of heart, the facile and
fascinating gift of yarn-spinning--for he was a born raconteur, with a
varied experience to draw upon--a readiness for high play, at which he
lost and won with the same gay and unruffled humor, and an incomparable
and heaven-bestowed gift of cookery.
To-night the very sight of the supper set before him softened Gallito's
harsh face. Brook trout, freshly caught that afternoon from the rushing
mountain stream not far away from the cabin, and smoking hot from the
frying pan; an omelette, golden brown and buttercup yellow, of a fluff,
a fragrance, with savories hidden beneath its surface, a conserve of
fruits, luscious, amber and subtly biting, the coffee of dreams and a
bottle of red wine, smooth as honey.
"I hope you don't think that we're the kind of wolves that's always
gatherin' round wherever there's a snack of food," murmured Mrs. Thomas
softly as she took a seat beside Pearl. "We got our own cabin just a
piece up in the woods, but Jose, he kind of wanted to make a celebration
of your coming up."
Pearl did not answer, but slipped languidly out of her cloak, untwisted
her heavy veil, removed her hat, Jose's eyes as well as Mrs.
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