fight.

There were not many at vespers, and Madre Moreno and Ysidria had started
early for home with the Danas, so I had to myself the pleasure of
kneeling in the spot where Ysidria had worshipped in the forenoon.

Catalina and the servants were very gay, and her mind was so full of the
entertainment, that she never spoke of the morning's wonder, but talked
during all the moonlight homeward ride, about the tactics of the bull,
which it seemed had been the victor.

Catalina must have noticed a change in me, but she could not discover
the cause, as she did not know where I had spent most of my time,
thinking, that I as formerly, went out in the woods botanizing, though
she must have wondered at the scarcity of my collections.

Thus the wet season began and all the country grew green and the streams
were filled, and the plants which had died or withered in the heat of
summer, began to show new leaves, and the nightshade shot up tender
green sprigs before the old growth had fairly died.

Mercedes Dana, who never having had a love episode of her own, spent
most of her time in ferreting out those of others and spreading the news
with such exaggerations and embellishments as she thought needed,
informed Catalina of the state of affairs which had already become the
talk of the country.

Catalina was astonished, for her thoughts were so occupied within the
little circle of the rancho that she noted little of outside
occurrences. She felt hurt, but, as she afterwards told me, she plainly
saw why it was that I had never spoken to her on the subject, and she
was grateful for the thoughtfulness which had so long kept from her the
annoyance which the knowledge would have caused. She was grieved only at
the relationship existing between Madre Moreno and Ysidria, and felt
that in some way it was part of the curse. She said nothing to me of her
discovery, acting as usual, only speaking often of the old family
trouble between the Morenos and the Sotos, saying that she hoped the
curse might pass over one generation, if not depart forever.

VII.

The green December hills, with flaming spots of toyones, had long been
inviting me to make a stroll among them to renew old acquaintanceship,
and many a day I felt like starting out from the rancho and throwing
myself into their great arms. The care of the flocks needed much of my
attention in winter, and I had been greatly alarmed at the news of the
terrible influx of "Yankees,