At the sound of the carriage the landlord hurried out, and stood beside Derrick, waitingly.

The vehicle was of Spanish build, but had a touch of something English about it, and seated in it was an elderly lady, dressed in the local fashion.
There was something in her appearance so arresting that Derrick woke up fully and leant forward to peer at her; as she came nearer he saw that she was not so old as he had thought; for though her hair was snow-white, her dark eyes were bright and lustrous; she was very pale and there were deep lines on her face, which must, in her youth, have been exceedingly beautiful, and was even now handsome, though thin and careworn.

She was leaning back, almost reclining, with an air at once graceful and haughty; it was evident to Derrick that she was a personage of some importance, and he was not surprised to see the landlord whip off his hat and bow low, with a gesture of extreme deference.
"Who is that ?" asked Derrick, with an interest and curiosity which surprised himself.
The landlord lifted his swarthy brows and, extending his huge hands with an expression of pitying surprise, demanded of Derrick where he had come from that he did not know Donna Elvira.
"The lady of the ranch ?" said Derrick, excusing his deplorable ignorance by explaining, as well as he could, that he had come from a distance.
"Donna Elvira of--all the senor sees!" exclaimed the landlord, with a sweep of his hand which included all the earth in view.

"The rich, the all-powerful senora.

Her _estancia_ is on the other side of the hill.