His whole life should be devoted to her and her child; but what a
pitiful thing was that to render!

As they drew near home, he saw Ramona often try to conceal from him that
she had shed tears. At last he said to her: "Dearest Ramona, do not fear
to weep before me. I would not be any constraint on you. It is better
for you to let the tears come freely, my sister. They are healing to
wounds."

"I do not think so, Felipe," replied Ramona. "Tears are only selfish and
weak. They are like a cry because we are hurt. It is not possible always
to keep them back; but I am ashamed when I have wept, and think also
that I have sinned, because I have given a sad sight to others. Father
Salvierderra always said that it was a duty to look happy, no matter how
much we might be suffering."

"That is more than human power can do!" said Felipe.

"I think not," replied Ramona. "If it were, Father Salvierderra would
not have commanded it. And do you not recollect, Felipe, what a smile
his face always wore? and his heart had been broken for many, many years
before he died. Alone, in the night, when he prayed, he used to weep,
from the great wrestling he had with God, he told me; but we never
saw him except with a smile. When one thinks in the wilderness, alone,
Felipe, many things become clear. I have been learning, all these years
in the wilderness, as if I had had a teacher. Sometimes I almost thought
that the spirit of Father Salvierderra was by my side putting thoughts
into my mind. I hope I can tell them to my child when she is old enough.
She will understand them quicker than I did, for she has Alessandro's
soul; you can see that by her eyes. And all these things of which I
speak were in his heart from his childhood. They belong to the air and
the sky and the sun, and all trees know them."

When Ramona spoke thus of Alessandro, Felipe marvelled in silence. He
himself had been afraid to mention Alessandro's name; but Ramona spoke
it as if he were yet by her side. Felipe could not fathom this. There
were to be many things yet which Felipe could not fathom in this lovely,
sorrowing, sunny sister of his.

When they reached the house, the servants, who had been on the watch
for days, were all gathered in the court-yard, old Marda and Juan Can
heading the group; only two absent,--Margarita and Luigo. They had been
married some months before, and were living at the Ortegas ranch, where
Luigo, to Juan Can's scornful amusement, had been