lated in scorn. "No, I do not understand it,"
she said. "Most certainly I do not understand it. Of what is it that
these noble lords of villages are so proud? their ancestors,--naked
savages less than a hundred years ago? Naked savages they themselves
too, to-day, if we had not come here to teach and civilize them. The
race was never meant for anything but servants. That was all the Fathers
ever expected to make of them,--good, faithful Catholics, and contented
laborers in the fields. Of course there are always exceptional
instances, and I think, myself, Alessandro is one. I don't believe,
however, he is so exceptional, but that if you were to offer him, for
instance, the same wages you pay Juan Can, he would jump at the chance
of staying on the place."

"Well, I shall think about it," said Felipe. "I'd like nothing better
than to have him here always. He's a fellow I heartily like. I'll think
about it."

Which was all the Senora wanted done at present.

Ramona had chanced to come in as this conversation was going on. Hearing
Alessandro's name she seated herself at the window, looking out, but
listening intently. The month had done much for Alessandro with
Ramona, though neither Alessandro nor Ramona knew it. It had done
this much,--that Ramona knew always when Alessandro was near, that she
trusted him, and that she had ceased to think of him as an Indian any
more than when she thought of Felipe, she thought of him as a Mexican.
Moreover, seeing the two men frequently together, she had admitted to
herself, as Margarita had done before her, that Alessandro was far the
handsomer man of the two. This Ramona did not like to admit, but she
could not help it.

"I wish Felipe were as tall and strong as Alessandro," she said to
herself many a time. "I do not see why he could not have been. I wonder
if the Senora sees how much handsomer Alessandro is."

When Felipe said that he did not believe he could offer Alessandro Assis
money enough to tempt him to stay on the place, Ramona opened her lips
suddenly, as if to speak, then changed her mind, and remained silent.
She had sometimes displeased the Senora by taking part in conversations
between her and her son.

Felipe saw the motion, but he also thought it wiser to wait till after
his mother had left the room, before he asked Ramona what she was on the
point of saying. As soon as the Senora went out, he said, "What was it,
Ramona, you were going to say just now?"

Ramona