left
her presence, that she herself had followed, and, seeing the girl in her
own room, had locked the door as before, and had spent the rest of the
morning on the veranda within hands' reach of Ramona's window. How,
when, and where had she contrived to communicate with Felipe? The longer
the Senora studied over this, the angrier and more baffled she felt; to
be outwitted was even worse to her than to be disobeyed. Under her very
eyes, as it were, something evidently had happened, not only against
her will, but which she could not explain. Her anger even rippled out
towards Felipe, and was fed by the recollection of Ramona's unwise
retort, "Felipe would not let you!" What had Felipe done or said to make
the girl so sure that he would be on her side and Alessandro's? Was it
come to this, that she, the Senora Moreno, was to be defied in her own
house by children and servants!

It was with a tone of severe displeasure that she said to Felipe, as
she rose from the dinner-table, "My son, I would like to have some
conversation with you in my room, if you are at leisure."

"Certainly, mother," said Felipe, a load rolling off his mind at her
having thus taken the initiative, for which he lacked courage; and
walking swiftly towards her, he attempted to put his arm around her
waist, as it was his affectionate habit frequently to do. She repulsed
him gently, but bethinking herself, passed her hand through his arm,
and leaning on it heavily as she walked, said: "This is the most fitting
way, my son. I must lean more and more heavily on you each year now. Age
is telling on me fast. Do you not find me greatly changed, Felipe, in
the last year?"

"No, madre mia," replied Felipe, "indeed I do not. I see not that you
have changed in the last ten years." And he was honest in this. His
eyes did not note the changes so clear to others, and for the best of
reasons. The face he saw was one no one else ever beheld; it was kindled
by emotion, transfigured by love, whenever it was turned towards him.

The Senora sighed deeply as she answered: "That must be because you so
love me, Felipe. I myself see the changes even day by day. Troubles
tell on me as they did not when I was younger. Even within the last
twenty-four hours I seem to myself to have aged frightfully;" and she
looked keenly at Felipe as she seated herself in the arm-chair where
poor Ramona had swooned a few hours before. Felipe remained standing
before her, gazing, with a tende