DonCaesarliftedhishatwithsweetseriousnesstothelady，withgravecourtesytothegentleman。WhilethelowerhalfofthisCentaurwasapparentlyquiveringwithfury，andstampingthegroundinhisevidentdesiretochargeuponthepair，theupperhalf，withnaturaldignity，lookedfromtheonetotheother，asiftoleavetheprivilegeofanexplanationwiththem。ButMamiewastoowise，andhercompaniontooindifferent，toofferone。AslightshadepassedoverDonCaesar’sface。Tocomplicatethesituationatthatmoment，theexpectedstagecoachcamerattlingby。Withquickfeminineintuition，Mamiecaughtinthefacesofthedriverandtheexpressman，andreflectedinthemischievouseyesofhercompanion，apeculiarinterpretationoftheirmeeting，thatwasnotremovedbythewhisperedassuranceoftheeditorthatthepassengerswereanxiouslylookingback\"toseetheshooting。\"
TheyoungSpaniard，equallyobliviousofhumororcuriosity，remainedimpassive。
\"YouknowMr。Slinn，ofthe’Record，\"saidMamie，\"don’tyou？\"
DonCaesarhadneverbeforemettheSenorEsslinn。HewasundertheimpressionthatitwasaSenorRobinsonthatwasofthe\"Record。\"
\"Oh，HEwasshot，\"saidSlinn。\"I’mtakinghisplace。\"