it, and
hardened herself still more. It was to be war, then. No hope of
surrender. Very well. The girl had made her choice.

Margarita was now the most puzzled person in the household. She had
overheard snatches of the conversation between Felipe and his mother and
Ramona, having let her curiosity get so far the better of her discretion
as to creep to the door and listen. In fact, she narrowly escaped
being caught, having had barely time to begin her feint of sweeping the
passage-way, when Ramona, flinging the door wide open, came out,
after her final reply to the Senora, the words of which Margarita had
distinctly heard: "God will punish you."

"Holy Virgin! how dare she say that to the Senora?" ejaculated
Margarita, under her breath; and the next second Ramona rushed by, not
even seeing her. But the Senora's vigilant eyes, following Ramona,
saw her; and the Senora's voice had a ring of suspicion in it, as she
called, "How comes it you are sweeping the passage-way at this hour of
the day, Margarita?"

It was surely the devil himself that put into Margarita's head the quick
lie which she instantaneously told. "There was early breakfast, Senora,
to be cooked for Alessandro, who was setting off in haste, and my mother
was not up, so I had it to cook."

As Margarita said this, Felipe fixed his eyes steadily upon her. She
changed color. Felipe knew this was a lie. He had seen Margarita peering
about among the willows while he was talking with Alessandro at the
sheepfold; he had seen Alessandro halt for a moment and speak to her as
he rode past,--only for a moment; then, pricking his horse sharply, he
had galloped off down the valley road. No breakfast had Alessandro had
at Margarita's hands, or any other's, that morning. What could have been
Margarita's motive for telling this lie?

But Felipe had too many serious cares on his mind to busy himself long
with any thought of Margarita or her fibs. She had said the first thing
which came into her head, most likely, to shelter herself from the
Senora's displeasure; which was indeed very near the truth, only there
was added a spice of malice against Alessandro. A slight undercurrent of
jealous antagonism towards him had begun to grow up among the servants
of late; fostered, if not originated, by Margarita's sharp sayings as to
his being admitted to such strange intimacy with the family.

While Felipe continued ill, and was so soothed to rest by his music,
there was no roo