her,
of the good father and mother who had cared for her so well since she
came to them from the kind God who sends beautiful children into the
world, for her little brother and sister, the twins Antonio and
Antonia, who gave a world of trouble,--for they were sad pickles,--but
who repaid her by a world of childish lovingness for her care: for
nearly all her life long these loves had sufficed to fill and to
satisfy Pancha's heart. But within a year now a new love, a love that
was stronger and deeper than all of these put together, had come to
her and had grown to be a part of her life. And Pancha knew, down in
the depths of her heart, that this love had begun on the very first
day that her eyes had rested upon Pepe's gallant figure and handsome
face--the day when Pepe, having been made captain of a brave company
of _contrabandistas_, had come up to Monterey to partake of the Holy
Sacrament at Easter, and to be blessed by his old father, and to
receive the congratulations of his friends.

Pancha's father, Christobal, a worthy _cargador_ who never in the
whole twenty years that he had discharged the responsible duties of
his calling had lost or injured a single article confided to his care,
and old Manuel, who held the honorable position of _sereno_--a member
of the night-watch--in the city of Monterey, had known each other from
a time long before Pancha was born; and from a full understanding of
each other's good qualities, and from certain affinities and common
tastes, the two old fellows had come in the course of years to be the
closest friends. Christobal the _cargador_--better known, being
a little bandy-legged man, as Tobalito--was scarcely less delighted
than was Manuel himself when Pepe--a motherless lad who had grown
to manhood in the care of a good aunt--came up from his home in
Tamaulipas that Easter-tide to tell of his good fortune. The boy was a
gallant boy, they both agreed,--as they drank his health more times
than was quite good for them in Paras brandy of the best, on which
never a _tlaco_ of duty had been paid,--and before him had opened now
a magnificent future. Being a captain of _contrabandistas_ at
twenty-two, what might he not be at thirty? His fortune was assured!
And old Catalina shared in this joy of her husband's and of her
husband's friend, and drank also, relishingly, a little mug of brandy
to Pepe's good fortune--present and to come. Even the twins, Antonio
and Antonia, entered into the spi