During the rest of the day, after
returning home, she busied herself about the house in all domestic
duties, or in embroidering, at which she was an adept, her work being
much in request, not only at San Gabriel, but at the other missions; or
in tending her garden, where were growing many vegetables and fruits
for their use. The birth of their child brought an added joy to their
already overflowing life of happiness. But this kind of life could not
last forever, even in that idyllic land of Nueva California.

Diego was given the services of two neophytes in cultivating his land,
leaving him at liberty to continue those of his mission duties which
could not be delegated to another. And toward the end of the second year
of Diego's married life, his presence at the mission became more urgent,
and he was sent off to the neighboring missions with greater frequency,
and made longer stays than ever before. Juana began to be anxious, and
to wonder what was the cause of these strange proceedings, taking her
husband away from her, sometimes for nearly two weeks at a stretch.
Questioning Diego was useless, for he was a discreet servant, and told
her, simply, that the Father's business called him away. This was far
from satisfying her, of course, but she could learn nothing more from
him.

Juana, however, was not dependent entirely upon Diego for information as
to what was going on in her little world, that is, at the mission. She
was an acute little person in spite of her simplicity, and it would not
have taken one as acute as she, to see that something was disturbing
the neophytes, and tending to make them unruly. One day, at the hour for
shutting up the Indian children for the night, a youth was discovered
missing. Search was made, and kept up far into the night and the next
day, but without result. Ordinarily this would have excited no great
attention, but indications of the troublous times of 1824 had already
made their appearance, and every little incident out of the common
routine was looked upon with apprehension. The young Indian returned
at the close of the next day, and tried to appear as if nothing had
occurred. He was taken immediately to the Father, who questioned him
long and patiently, but with no avail. He would say nothing farther than
that he had run off to the canyon in the mountains for a day's idleness;
and this he maintained, while the priest, wearied and harassed,
threatened him with flogging.

Juana had