ost-office, which was a mile farther.

Rea liked this very much. Anita's mother had a big blue and green
parrot, that could talk in both Spanish and English; and Rea was never
tired of listening to her. She always carried her sugar; and she used to
cock her head on one side, and call out, "Senorita! senorita! Polly
likes sugar! sugar! sugar!" as soon as she saw Rea coming in at the
door. It was the only parrot Rea had ever seen, and it seemed to her the
most wonderful creature in the world.

Ysidro's house was next to Anita's mother's; and Rea often saw the old
man at work in his garden, or sitting on his door-step knitting lace,
with needles as fine as pins.

One day Anita took her into the house to see Carmena, who was sitting in
bed at work on her embroidery. When Carmena heard that Rea was Mr.
Connor's niece, she insisted upon giving her a beautiful piece of lace
which she had made. Anita did not wish to take it, but old Carmena
said,--

"You must take it. Mr. Connor has given us much money, and there was
never anything I could do for him. Now if his little senorita will take
this, it will be a pleasure."

So Rea carried the lace home, and showed it to her Uncle George, and he
said she might keep it; and it was only a few weeks after this that when
Anita and Rea went down to San Gabriel, one day, they found the old
couple in great distress, the news having come that they were going to
be turned out of their house.

And it was the night after this visit that Rea dreamed about the poor
old creatures all night, and the very next morning that she asked her
Uncle George if he would not build them a house in his canon.

After lunch, Mr. Connor said to Rea,--

"I am going to drive this afternoon, Rea. Would you like to come with
me?"

His eyes twinkled as he said it, and Rea cried out,--

"Oh! oh! It is to see Ysidro and Carmena, I am sure!"

"Yes," said her uncle; "I am going down to tell them you are going to
build them a house."

"Uncle George, will you really, truly, do it?" said Rea. "I think you
are the kindest man in all the world!" and she ran for her hat, and was
down on the veranda waiting, long before the horses were ready.

They found old Ysidro sitting on the ground, leaning against the wall of
his house. He had his face covered up with both hands, his elbows
leaning on his knees.

"Oh, look at him! He is crying, Uncle George," said Rea.

"No, dear," replied Mr. Connor. "He is not crying. In