iding out of the room,
closed the door behind her, and instead of going to her room, sped like
a hunted creature down the veranda steps, across the garden, calling in
a low tone, "Felipe! Felipe! Where are you, Felipe?"

XII

THE little sheepfold, or corral, was beyond the artichoke-patch, on that
southern slope whose sunshine had proved so disastrous a temptation to
Margarita in the matter of drying the altar-cloth. It was almost like a
terrace, this long slope; and the sheepfold, being near the bottom,
was wholly out of sight of the house. This was the reason Felipe had
selected it as the safest spot for his talk with Alessandro.

When Ramona reached the end of the trellised walk in the garden, she
halted and looked to the right and left. No one was in sight. As she
entered the Senora's room an hour before, she had caught a glimpse of
some one, she felt almost positive it was Felipe, turning off in the
path to the left, leading down to the sheepfold. She stood irresolute
for a moment, gazing earnestly down this path. "If the saints would only
tell me where he is!" she said aloud. She trembled as she stood there,
fearing each second to hear the Senora's voice calling her. But fortune
was favoring Ramona, for once; even as the words passed her lips, she
saw Felipe coming slowly up the bank. She flew to meet him. "Oh, Felipe,
Felipe!" she began.

"Yes, dear, I know it all," interrupted Felipe; "Alessandro has told
me."

"She forbade me to speak to you, Felipe," said Ramona, "but I could not
bear it. What are we to do? Where is Alessandro?"

"My mother forbade you to speak to me!" cried Felipe, in a tone of
terror. "Oh, Ramona, why did you disobey her? If she sees us talking,
she will be even more displeased. Fly back to your room. Leave it all to
me. I will do all that I can."

"But, Felipe," began Ramona, wringing her hands in distress.

"I know! I know!" said Felipe; "but you must not make my mother any more
angry. I don't know what she will do till I talk with her. Do go back to
your room! Did she not tell you to stay there?"

"Yes," sobbed Ramona, "but I cannot. Oh, Felipe, I am so afraid! Do help
us! Do you think you can? You won't let her shut me up in the convent,
will you, Felipe? Where is Alessandro? Why can't I go away with him this
minute? Where is he? Dear Felipe, let me go now."

Felipe's face was horror-stricken. "Shut you in the convent!" he gasped.
"Did she say that? Ramona, dear, fly ba