every
hope of leading to repentance, but on her return the manner of her
behavior was different. She rode like a queen, and even the marriage
was accepted as a justice! Padre Andreas secretly credited the heretic
Americano with the change, and Mexican girls put no such dependence on
a man outside of her own family,--unless that man was a lover!

He saw his own influence set aside by the stranger and the rebel
leader, and with Dona Jocasta as a firebrand he feared dread and awful
things now that Rotil had given her power.

He found her with bright eyes and a faint flush in her cheeks over the
letter Kit was writing to the south. It was her first act as the wife
of Jose Perez, and it was being written to the girl whom Perez had
hoped to marry!

Kit got considerable joy in framing her request as follows:

To
Senorita Dolores Terain,
Linda Vista Rancho, Sonora,

HONORED SENORITA:

As a woman who desires to secure justice and mercy for some poor
peons of our district of Altar, I venture to address you, to whom
womanly compassion must belong as does beauty and graciousness.

This is a work for the charity of women, rather than debates in
law courts by men.

I send with this the names of those poor people who were herded
south for slavery by Adolf Conrad, a German who calls himself
American. To your father, the illustrious General Terain, this man
Conrad represented these poor people as rebels and raiders of this
region. It is not true. They were simple peaceful workers on
little ranches.

They were given shelter at your rancho of Linda Vista to work for
their food until they could be deported, but I send with this a
payment of gold with which to repay any care they have been, or
any debts incurred. If it is not enough, I pledge myself to the
amount you will regard as justice.

Dear Senorita, my husband, Don Jose, warns me that women cannot
manage such affairs, but we can at least try. Parents wait here
for sons and daughters, and little children wait for their
parents. Will you aid in the Christian task of bringing them
together quickly?

At your service with all respect,
JOCASTA BENICIA PEREZ,
Soledad Rancho, Sonora.

"But you write here of gold sent by messenger, senor!--I have no gold,
only words can I send," protested Dona Jocasta helplessl