reference for Juana, and this was
caused by nothing else than the fact that the Guipuzcoana maid made him
laugh more with her caresses and dandling of him.

Poor Maximina could not bring herself to believe in this cruel
preference. One day after breakfast, as the three were playing with the
baby in the corridor, Juana wanted to give proof of it.

"Come, now, go to your mamma," she said to the little one.

But he clung with all his might to her.

"It is evident that he loves you only when he is hungry," said Miguel,
making fun of her.

Maximina became grieved and even vexed, and tried to take the child from
Juana, but he objected and squealed.

"Come now, see if he won't come to me," suggested Miguel.

"Why not?" As soon as his papa spread open his arms, the capricious
infant sprang into them.

"Do you see?" he exclaimed, leaping up in triumph.

Then Maximina, full of sorrow and mortification, the more because her
husband and Juana laughed so heartily at her defeat, was going to pull
him away by main force. Miguel started to run. Maximina, growing more
and more nervous and incensed, trying not to cry, ran after him. At
last, unable to overtake him, she went into the study. There Miguel
shortly after found her standing up, leaning against the mantel-piece,
her eyes hidden with one hand, and evidently crying. He went up to her
on tiptoe, laid the baby on the rug, and said to him:--

"There now, go and ask forgiveness of your mamma, and tell her what you
have just whispered in my ear: that you love her better than any one
else in the world."

At the same time he put the child's mouth to his wife's hand, as it hung
by her side.

When she felt her son's fresh, moist lips touching her, the little woman
turned her head to look at him: through the tears gleamed in her eyes a
smile of love and forgiveness, which it was a shame that that ungrateful
little miscreant could not have appreciated.

One night, after dinner, Miguel felt lazy, as was often the case, and
did not care to go out. They went to the study, and Maximina began to
read the paper. Afterward, when she had taken her seat on her husband's
knee, they began to talk, as usual, telling each other about the little
events of the day.

"Do you know?" she said, "this afternoon I had a caller!"

"Who was it?"

"A villain!" said the little wife, smiling mischievously.

Miguel could not refrain from a slight frown. He was very jealous, as
all men must be wh