country where the Senora did not rule.
She felt little fear. Felipe would not see her harmed, and she was going
away presently with Alessandro. It was wonderful what peace and freedom
lay in the very thought. The radiance on her face of these two new-born
emotions was the first thing the Senora observed as she opened the door,
and slowly, very slowly, eyeing Ramona with a steady look, entered the
room. This joyous composure on Ramona's face angered the Senora, as it
had done before, when she was dragging her up the garden-walk. It seemed
to her like nothing less than brazen effrontery, and it changed the
whole tone and manner of her address.

Seating herself opposite Ramona, but at the farthest side of the room,
she said, in a tone scornful and insulting, "What have you to say for
yourself?"

Returning the Senora's gaze with one no less steady, Ramona spoke in the
same calm tone in which she had twice the evening before attempted to
stay the Senora's wrath. This time, she was not interrupted.

"Senora," she said slowly, "I tried to tell you last night, but you
would not hear me. If you had listened, you would not have been so
angry. Neither Alessandro nor I have done anything wrong, and we were
not ashamed. We love each other, and we are going to be married, and go
away. I thank you, Senora, for all you have done for me; I am sure
you will be a great deal happier when I am away;" and Ramona looked
wistfully, with no shade of resentment, into the Senora's dark, shrunken
face. "You have been very good to do so much for a girl you did not
love. Thank you for the bread and milk last night. Perhaps I can go away
with Alessandro to-day. I do not know what he will wish. We had only
just that minute spoken of being married, when you found us last night."

The Senora's face was a study during the few moments that it took to say
these words. She was dumb with amazement. Instantaneously, on the
first sense of relief that the disgrace had not been what she supposed,
followed a new wrath, if possible hotter than the first; not so much
scorn, but a bitterer anger. "Marry! Marry that Indian!" she cried, as
soon as she found voice. "You marry an Indian? Never! Are you mad? I
will never permit it."

Ramona looked anxiously at her. "I have never disobeyed you, Senora,"
she said, "but this is different from all other things; you are not my
mother. I have promised to marry Alessandro."

The girl's gentleness deceived the Senora.