"Rudolf, Rudolf," was the name upon her lips.
CHAPTER IX
Within a few days Hughie came up to Colina, and through the long, chilly
evenings near the peaks the little, isolated group met in Gallito's
cabin. It was understood in the village that Gallito did not care to
have his seclusion invaded, and this unspoken desire was universally
respected; indeed, it was not questioned. In the solitary places are
many eccentrics; they have escaped the melting pot of the city, and in
the freedom of the desert and the mountains have achieved an unfettered
and unquestioned individuality.
Those who had business dealings with the old Spaniard knew that he was
to be found in places more easy of access than his lonely cabin among
the rocks and trees; at the mine, for instance, of which he was foreman,
the Mont d'Or; or, on an occasional Friday evening, in the village
saloon, where he mingled with the miners, engaging in the eternal and
interminable discussions of local mining affairs. He also kept a horse
in the village, a fiery, blooded creature, which he exercised every few
days, taking long rides over the various mountain trails. He was
universally respected, as his judgment of mines was known to be sound,
and his ventures unusually lucky; but no one was ever rash enough to
encroach upon the reserve which he invariably maintained.
So, with small fear of embarrassing interruptions, although Gallito saw
that all prudence was observed and every precaution taken, he and Jose,
Mrs.
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