any Indian at sight, if they saw him
trespassing on their property."

"Their property!" ejaculated Ramona.

"Yes; it is theirs," said Alessandro, doggedly. "That is the law.
They've got all the papers to show it. That is what my father always
said,--if the Senor Valdez had only given him a paper! But they never
did in those days. Nobody had papers. The American law is different."

"It's a law of thieves!" cried Ramona.

"Yes, and of murderers too," said Alessandro. "Don't you call my father
murdered just as much as if they had shot him? I do! and, O Senorita,
my Senorita, there was Jose! You recollect Jose, who went for my violin?
But, my beloved one, I am killing you with these terrible things! I will
speak no more."

"No, no, Alessandro. Tell me all, all. You must have no grief I do not
share. Tell me about Jose," cried Ramona, breathlessly.

"Senorita, it will break your heart to hear. Jose was married a year
ago. He had the best house in Temecula, next to my father's. It was the
only other one that had a shingled roof. And he had a barn too, and that
splendid horse he rode, and oxen, and a flock of sheep. He was at home
when the sheriff came. A great many of the men were away, grapepicking.
That made it worse. But Jose was at home; for his wife had a little baby
only a few weeks old, and the child seemed sickly and not like to live,
and Jose would not leave it. Jose was the first one that saw the sheriff
riding into the village, and the band of armed men behind him, and Jose
knew what it meant. He had often talked it over with me and with my
father, and now he saw that it had come; and he went crazy in one
minute, and fell on the ground all froth at his mouth. He had had a fit
like that once before; and the doctor said if he had another, he would
die. But he did not. They picked him up, and presently he was better;
and Mr. Rothsaker said nobody worked so well in the moving the first
day as Jose did. Most of the men would not lift a hand. They sat on the
ground with the women, and covered up their faces, and would not see.
But Jose worked; and, Senorita, one of the first things he did, was to
run with my father's violin to the store, to Mrs. Hartsel, and ask her
to hide it for us; Jose knew it was worth money. But before noon the
second day he had another fit, and died in it,--died right in his own
door, carrying out some of the things; and after Carmena--that's his
wife's name--saw he was dead, she never spok