e's mother! Then Maria Josefa Law was that poor woman
regarding whose tragic end Judge Ellsworth had spoken so peculiarly.
Alaire felt not a little curiosity to know more about the mother of the
man whose name she had taken. Accordingly, after a moment of debate
with herself, she sat down to translate the instrument. Surely Dave
would not object if she occupied herself thus while he slept.

The document had evidently been drawn in the strictest form, doubtless
by some local priest, for it ran:

First: I commend my soul to the Supreme Being who from nothing formed
it, and my body I order returned to earth, and which, as soon as it
shall become a corpse, it is my wish shall be shrouded with a blue
habit in resemblance to those used by the monks of our Seraphic Father,
St. Francis; to be interred with high mass, without pomp--

Alaire mused with a certain reverent pleasure that Dave's mother had
been a devout woman.

Second: I declare to have, in the possession of my husband, Franklin
Law, three horses, with splendid equipment of saddles and bridles,
which are to be sold and the proceeds applied to masses for the benefit
of my soul. I so declare, that it may appear.

Third: I declare to owe to Mrs. Guillelmo Perez about twenty dollars,
to be ascertained by what she may have noted in her book of accounts.
So I declare, that this debt may be paid as I have ordered.

Fourth: In just remuneration for the services of my cousin, Margarita
Ramirez, I bequeath and donate a silver tray which weighs one hundred
ounces, seven breeding cows, and four fine linen and lace tablecloths.
So I declare, that it may appear.

Fifth: I bequeath to my adopted son, David, offspring of the
unfortunate American woman who died in my house at Escovedo, the share
of land--

Alaire re-read this paragraph wonderingly, then let the document fall
into her lap. So Dave was an adopted son, and not actually the child of
this woman, Maria Josefa Law. She wondered if he knew it, and, if so,
why he hadn't told her? But, after all, what difference did it make who
or what he was? He was hers to love and to comfort, hers to cherish and
to serve.

For a long time she sat gazing at him tenderly; then she tiptoed out
and delighted the naked Garcia baby by taking him in her arms and
hugging him. Inez thought the beautiful senora's voice was like the
music of birds.

It was growing dark when Dave was awakened by cool hands upon his face
and by soft lips up