at way," said Harry politely. "My sisters are just
so. They can't bear to see anything killed."

After this day, Rea spent most of her time in the canon, watching the
men at work on Ysidro's house.

The canon was a wild place; it was a sort of split in the rocky sides of
the mountain; at the top it was not much more than two precipices joined
together, with just room enough for a brook to come down. You can see in
the picture where it was, though it looks there like little more than a
groove in the rocks. But it was really so big in some places that huge
sycamore trees grew in it, and there were little spaces of good earth,
where Mr. Connor had planted orchards.

It was near these, at the mouth of the canon, that he put Ysidro's
house. It was built out of mud bricks, called adobe, as near as
possible like Ysidro's old house,--two small rooms, and a thatched roof
made of reeds, which grew in a swamp.

But Mr. Connor did not call it Ysidro's house. He called it Rea's house;
and the men called it "the senorita's house." It was to be her own, Mr.
Connor said,--her own to give as a present to Ysidro and Carmena.

When the day came for them to move in, Jim went down with the big wagon,
and a bed in the bottom, to bring old Carmena up. There was plenty of
room in the wagon, besides, for the few little bits of furniture they
had.

Mr. Connor and Jusy and Rea were at the house waiting, when they came.
The cook had made a good supper of meat and potato, and Rea had put it
on the table, all ready for them.

When they lifted Carmena out of the wagon, she held, tight clutched in
her hand, a small basket filled with earth; she seemed hardly willing to
let go of it for a moment.

"What is that?" said Jusy.

"A few handfuls of the earth that was ours," replied Ysidro. "We have
brought it with us, to keep it always. The man who has our home will not
miss it."

The tears came into Mr. Connor's eyes, and he turned away.

Rea did not understand. She looked puzzled; so did Jusy.

Jim explained. "The Indian women often do that," he said. "When they
have to move away from a home they love they carry a little of the earth
with them; sometimes they put it in a little bag, and wear it hanging on
their necks; sometimes they put it under their heads at night."

"Yes," said Carmena, who had listened to what Jim said. "One can sleep
better on the earth that one loves."

"I say, Rea!" cried Jusy. "It is a shame they had to come away!