lted with
him down upon us in the lane, and then thou didst say he would come to
evil with the brute? He did--blessed San Antonio!--within half an
hour!"

"How--thou sawest it?"

"Nay; for the mustang was running away and I did not follow. Bueno! it
happened all the same. The Alcalde, Coroner, who knows all about it,
has said so an hour ago! Juan brought the news from the rancho where
the inquest was. There will be a funeral the day after to-morrow! and
so it is that some of the family will go. Fancy, Pereo, a Guitierrez at
the funeral of the Americano Doctor! Nay, I doubt not that the Dona
Maria will ask thee to say a prayer over his bier."

"Peace, fool! and speak not of thy lady mistress," thundered the old
man, sitting upright. "Begone to the stables. Dost thou hear me? Go!"

"Now, by the Mother of Miracles," said Sanchez, hastening from the room
as the gaunt figure of the old man rose, like a sheeted spectre, from
the bed, "that was his old self again! Blessed San Antonio! Pereo has
recovered."

The next day he was at his usual duties, with perhaps a slight increase
of sternness in his manner. The fulfillment of his prophecy related by
Sanchez added to the superstitious reputation in which he was held,
although Faquita voiced the opinions of a growing skeptical party in
the statement that it was easy to prophesy the Doctor's accident, with
the spectacle of the horse actually running away before the prophet's
eyes. It was even said that Dona Maria's aversion to Pereo since the
accident arose from a belief that some assistance might have been
rendered by him. But it was pointed out by Sanchez that Pereo had, a
few moments before, fallen under one of those singular, epileptic-like
strokes to which he was subject, and not only was unfit, but even
required the entire care of Sanchez at the time. He did not attend the
funeral, nor did Mrs. Saltonstall; but the family was represented by
Maruja and Amita, accompanied by one or two dark-faced cousins, Captain
Carroll, and Raymond. A number of friends and business associates from
the neighboring towns, Aladdin and a party from his house, the farm
laborers, and a crowd of working men from his mills in the foot-hills,
swelled the assemblage that met in and around the rude agricultural
sheds and outhouses which formed the only pastoral habitation of the
Rancho of San Antonio. It had been a characteristic injunction of the
deceased that he should be buried i