e stooped and
kissed the baby, and then kissing Ramona, went out.

Ramona stood at the door and watched him as he harnessed Benito and Baba
to the plough. He did not once look back at her; his face seemed full of
thought, his hands acting as it were mechanically. After he had gone
a few rods from the house, he stopped, stood still for some minutes
meditatingly, then went on irresolutely, halted again, but finally went
on, and disappeared from sight among the low foothills to the east.
Sighing deeply, Ramona turned back to her work. But her heart was too
disquieted. She could not keep back the tears.

"How changed is Alessandro!" she thought. "It terrifies me to see him
thus. I will tell the Blessed Virgin about it;" and kneeling before the
shrine, she prayed fervently and long. She rose comforted, and
drawing the baby's cradle out into the veranda, seated herself at her
embroidery. Her skill with her needle had proved a not inconsiderable
source of income, her fine lace-work being always taken by San Diego
merchants, and at fairly good prices.

It seemed to her only a short time that she had been sitting thus, when,
glancing up at the sun, she saw it was near noon; at the same moment
she saw Alessandro approaching, with the horses. In dismay, she thought,
"There is no dinner! He said he would not come!" and springing up, was
about to run to meet him, when she observed that he was not alone.
A short, thick-set man was walking by his side; they were talking
earnestly. It was a white man. What did it bode? Presently they stopped.
She saw Alessandro lift his hand and point to the house, then to the
tule sheds in the rear. He seemed to be talking excitedly; the white
man also; they were both speaking at once. Ramona shivered with fear.
Motionless she stood, straining eye and ear; she could hear nothing,
but the gestures told much. Had it come,--the thing Alessandro had said
would come? Were they to be driven out,--driven out this very day, when
the Virgin had only just now seemed to promise her help and protection?

The baby stirred, waked, began to cry. Catching the child up to her
breast, she stilled her by convulsive caresses. Clasping her tight in
her arms, she walked a few steps towards Alessandro, who, seeing her,
made an imperative gesture to her to return. Sick at heart, she went
back to the veranda and sat down to wait.

In a few moments she saw the white man counting out money into
Alessandro's hand; then he t