. Has she not been with you?"

Father Salvierderra's face was reply to the question. "Ramona!" he
cried. "Seeking Ramona! What has befallen the blessed child?"

It was a bitter story for Felipe to tell; but he told it, sparing
himself no shame. He would have suffered less in the telling, had he
known how well Father Salvierderra understood his mother's character,
and her almost unlimited power over all persons around her. Father
Salvierderra was not shocked at the news of Ramona's attachment for
Alessandro. He regretted it, but he did not think it shame, as the
Senora had done. As Felipe talked with him, he perceived even more
clearly how bitter and unjust his mother had been to Alessandro.

"He is a noble young man," said Father Salvierderra. "His father was one
of the most trusted of Father Peyri's assistants. You must find them,
Felipe. I wonder much they did not come to me. Perhaps they may yet
come. When you find them, bear them my blessing, and say that I wish
they would come hither. I would like to give them my blessing before
I die. Felipe, I shall never leave Santa Barbara again. My time draws
near."

Felipe was so full of impatience to continue his search, that he hardly
listened to the Father's words. "I will not tarry," he said. "I cannot
rest till I find her. I will ride back as far as Ventura to-night."

"You will send me word by a messenger, when you find them," said the
Father. "God grant no harm has befallen them. I will pray for them,
Felipe;" and he tottered into the church.

Felipe's thoughts, as he retraced his road, were full of bewilderment
and pain. He was wholly at loss to conjecture what course Alessandro and
Ramona had taken, or what could have led them to abandon their intention
of going to Father Salvierderra. Temecula seemed the only place, now, to
look for them; and yet from Temecula Felipe had heard, only a few days
before leaving home, that there was not an Indian left in the valley.
But he could at least learn there where the Indians had gone. Poor as
the clew seemed, it was all he had. Cruelly Felipe urged his horse
on his return journey. He grudged an hour's rest to himself or to the
beast; and before he reached the head of the Temecula canon the creature
was near spent. At the steepest part he jumped off and walked, to save
her strength. As he was toiling slowly up a narrow, rocky pass, he
suddenly saw an Indian's head peering over the ledge. He made signs
to him to come down.