window. Snatching him up convulsively, she dashed out
of the house, and ran at her utmost speed along the road that led to the
mission, nearly three miles away. Her horse was tethered in the field,
not one hundred yards from her, but she was too frightened to think of
that. Her one thought was to get away from the Indian, and to reach the
mission, forgetting in her unceasing fear that she was completely at the
mercy of her foe, and that, were he bent on still further mischief, by
hurrying unduly, she was only hastening the bitter moment.

And so it proved. The road to the mission lay at an acute angle with the
course of the stream, and the place where Juana supposed the Indian to
be hid was, for some distance, almost in front of her. She hurried on,
looking neither to right nor left, but with gaze bent tensely on the
mission church, the cross on the roof alone being visible above the
tree tops. She had gone only a few yards when she heard a sudden, sharp
whistling in the air near her. Startled, she glanced quickly to one
side, and clutched the baby more closely to her--too late; she saw not
the arrow, such was its velocity, but felt the baby give one spasmodic
bound. She flew along the road, the child screaming as she ran. As she
neared the mission, and the houses clustered around it, the inmates
started from their various occupations and gazed in astonishment at
Juana as she sped by, wild-eyed, her hair streaming in the wind.

Father Zalvidea had passed the morning in reading the letters Diego had
brought to him the night before, and meditating gloomily on the prospect
confronting the missions. He did not fear any particular trouble at
San Gabriel, but the news he had had from some of the northern
establishments was not reassuring; and the missions were so closely
united in one common bond, that what was an injury to one was an injury
to all. After reading and re-reading the letters, he put them away, and
betook himself to his garden for a little pasear before his midday meal.
He had paced the length of the garden only two or three times, when he
was aroused from his revery by the abrupt appearance of a woman whom,
from the agony distorting her face, and her long fluttering hair, he did
not at once recognize. As soon as she saw him Juana cried out, "Father,
Father!" and staggering forward a step, fell, unconscious, at his feet.
Calling loudly for help, the priest bent over, and caught the baby from
her arms. At sight o