ve you girls any friends
here this evening--or are you expecting any?" she demanded. Of a surety,
no!--as the padrona knew--it was not night for church. "Very well,"
returned Aunt Viney; "I thought I heard your voices in the garden;
understand, I want no gallivanting there. Go to bed."

She was relieved! Dick certainly was not guilty of a low intrigue with
one of the maids. But who and what was she?

Dick was absent again from chocolate; there was unfinished work to do.
Cecily came in later, just as Aunt Viney was beginning to be anxious.
Had she appeared distressed or piqued by her cousin's conduct, Aunt
Viney might have spoken; but there was a pretty color on her cheek--the
result, she said, of her rapid walking, and the fresh air; did Aunt
Viney know that a cool breeze had just risen?--and her delicate lips
were wreathed at times in a faint retrospective smile. Aunt Viney
stared; certainly the girl was not pining! What young people were made
of now-a-days she really couldn't conceive. She shrugged her shoulders
and resumed her tatting.

Nevertheless, as Dick's unfinished studies seemed to have whitened his
cheek and impaired his appetite the next morning, she announced her
intention of driving out towards the mission alone. When she returned at
luncheon she further astonished the young people by casually informing
them they would have Spanish visitors to dinner--namely, their
neighbors, Donna Maria Amador and the Dona Felipa Peralta.

Both faces were turned eagerly towards her; both said almost in the same
breath, "But, Aunt Viney! you don't know them! However did you--What
does it all mean?"

"My dears," said Aunt Viney placidly, "Mrs. Amador and I have always
nodded to each other, and I knew they were only waiting for the
slightest encouragement. I gave it, and they're coming."

It was difficult to say whether Cecily's or Dick's face betrayed the
greater delight and animation. Aunt Viney looked from the one to the
other. It seemed as if her attempt at diversion had been successful.

"Tell us all about it, you dear, clever, artful Aunty!" said Cecily
gayly.

"There's nothing whatever to tell, my love! It seems, however, that the
young one, Dona Felipa, has seen Dick, and remembers him." She shot a
keen glance at Dick, but was obliged to admit that the rascal's face
remained unchanged. "And I wanted to bring a cavalier for YOU, dear, but
Don Jose's nephew isn't at home now." Yet here, to her surprise, Cecily