ho was a de los Santos, having married an American from
Boston), having less faith in Madre Moreno's power than the rest of her
neighbours had tried that never-failing test for witchcraft, and placed
a piece of steel under the chair where the Madre was sitting, but she,
too, was at once converted from her skepticism, for when the Madre
wanted to leave she was unable to move until the bit of steel was taken
away.

It was considered a dangerous experiment, and even Mercedes' little
spark of Yankee "devil-may-care" burned very low after it, although the
only thing that went wrong at the Dana's that year was that the hens
laid soft-shelled eggs, which trouble was soon remedied by mixing a
powder with their feed, which powder Madre Moreno herself supplied, and
I strongly suspect that it was made of burned cockle shells.

Madre Moreno dressed peculiarly; she wore when I first remember her, a
short black skirt and waist; a little cape of red woolen cloth hung over
her shoulders, about her neck was a white ruff which set off her peaked
face and made it look even more withered and yellow; her hair was short,
and over a silk skull cap was drawn a black reboso, the ends of which
were embroidered in colour with odd designs. Her whole person was the
perfection of neatness, and she was welcome from Bolinas to San Rafael
for the good she did, as her knowledge of herb and even mineral
medicines was extensive.

At my christening it was thought that the curse would be removed, as
Madre Moreno was invited to the ceremonies, and from that time was a
constant visitor at the rancho for some years, always received with a
welcome, mingled, perhaps, with a little fear, by all save Catalina,
who, despite her dread of the queer woman, never could conceal her
hatred for her, and when the sudden death of my father was closely
followed by that of my mother, she forbade Madre Moreno the house. To
this I could say nothing, as I have always a reverence for the woman who
rules at home, and Catalina now was my housekeeper, in charge of broom
and wash tub, and grand almoner of my dinners and luncheons.

II.

Madre Moreno never came again to my house, but always seemed to take an
interest in me, who, when I reached an age when I could be trusted away
from the garden, would wander with her through the woods while she was
gathering her herbs, and from her I learned much that was of great
benefit to me in after years. After my return from Mexico,