hty, naughty boy!" she would retort with innocent vexation.
"You are very naughty to send me away!"

Miguel would relent, and pull her back by the hand.

After dinner they used to spend another little while together, and then
he would go to the cafe, and from there to his editorial rooms,
returning at twelve or one. His wife used to try to wait for him, either
by reading a book or by taking a nap. Saturdays they always went to the
theatre, for _La Independencia_ was not published on Sundays, and so
there was one day in the seven when he was not driven with work.

One evening, as she was coming down stairs, Maximina, who was occupied
in putting on her gloves, tripped and fell, rolling down several steps.

"Oh! my wife!" cried Miguel, hastening to her aid.

The young woman got up with a smile, though she, was flushed with alarm.
She had not suffered any harm, but the heart-rending cry uttered by
Miguel had gone to the very depths of her soul.

Then, also for the first time, Miguel realized how this gentle creature
had taken possession of his heart.

She had been greatly troubled at a slight ailment from which her husband
suffered during the early months of their marriage: severe rheumatic
pains kept him housed for several days; he grew pale and thin, and,
worse than all, was in a very unhappy frame of mind, for he was not a
man to endure adversities patiently.

Maximina was deeply troubled, and do the best she could, it was
impossible for her to hide her grief. She sat all day long beside the
bed, and did not take her eyes from her husband; from time to time,
almost overcome with grief, and making great efforts to control herself,
she would say:--

"You feel better, you _do_ feel better, don't you? Yes, yes, you must
feel better!"

"Since you say so, you must be very sure of it," he would say slyly,
with an ironical smile.

And then seeing her great, timid, innocent eyes fill with tears, he
would repent of his unseasonable words, and add, caressing her hand:--

"Don't mind about me. I am doing well. To-morrow I shall be all right;
truly I shall."

And the young wife was happy for a few moments, until she would be
alarmed again by some new complaint from the sick man.

How delightful when he got well again! It was the first time that her
husband ever heard her sing at the top of her voice. She ran and jumped,
jested with the maids, and was even quite successful in mimicking the
Madrid accent which Juana ha