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but　with　eyes　always　wistfully　fixed　upon　him。　　He　wondered　if；　as

part　of　his　penance；　he　ought　not　to　proclaim　his　sin　and　abase

himself　before　them；　but　he　knew　that　his　devoted　followers　would

insist　upon　sharing　his　punishment；　and　he　remembered　his　promise

to　Cranch；　that　for　HER　sake　he　would　say　nothing。　　Before　they

reached　the　summit　he　turned　once　or　twice　to　look　back　upon　the

Mission。　　How　small　it　looked；　lying　there　in　the　peaceful　valley；

contrasted　with　the　broad　sweep　of　the　landscape　beyond；　stopped　at

the　further　east　only　by　the　dim；　ghost…like　outlines　of　the

Sierras。　　But　the　strong　breath　of　the　sea　was　beginning　to　be

felt；　in　a　few　moments　more　they　were　facing　it　with　lowered

sombreros　and　flying　serapes；　and　the　vast；　glittering；　illimitable

Pacific　opened　out　beneath　them。



Dazed　and　blinded；　as　it　seemed　to　him；　by　the　shining；　restless

expanse；　Father　Pedro　rode　forward　as　if　still　in　a　dream。

Suddenly　he　halted；　and　called　Antonio　to　his　side。



〃Tell　me；　child；　didst　thou　not　say　that　this　coast　was　wild　and

desolate　of　man；　beast；　and　habitation？〃



〃Truly　I　did；　reverend　father。〃



〃Then　what　is　that？〃　pointing　to　the　shore。



Almost　at　their　feet　nestled　a　cluster　of　houses；　at　the　head　of　an

arroyo　reaching　up　from　the　beach。　　They　looked　down　upon　the　smoke

of　a　manufactory　chimney；　upon　strange　heaps　of　material　and

curious　engines　scattered　along　the　sands；　with　here　and　there

moving　specks　of　human　figures。　　In　a　little　bay　a　schooner　swung

at　her　cables。



The　vaquero　crossed　himself　in　stupefied　alarm。　　〃I　know　not；　your

reverence；　it　is　only　two　years　ago；　before　the　rodeo；　that　I　was

here　for　strayed　colts；　and　I　swear　by　the　blessed　bones　of　San

Antonio　that　it　was　as　I　said。〃



〃Ah！　it　is　like　these　Americanos；〃　responded　the　muleteer。　　〃I　have

it　from　my　brother　Diego　that　he　went　from　San　Jose　to　Pescadero

two　months　ago；　across　the　plains；　with　never　a　hut　nor　fonda　to

halt　at　all　the　way。　　He　returned　in　seven　days；　and　in　the　midst

of　the　plain　there　were　three　houses　and　a　mill；　and　many　people。

and　why　was　it？　　Ah！　Mother　of　God！　one　had　picked　up　in　the　creek

where　he　drank　that　much　of　gold；〃　and　the　muleteer　tapped　one　of

the　silver　coins　that　fringed　his　jacket　sleeves　in　place　of

buttons。



〃And　they　are　washing　the　sands　for　gold　there　now；〃　said　Antonio；

eagerly　pointing　to　some　men　gathered　round　a　machine　like　an

enormous　cradle。　　〃Let　us　hasten　on。〃



Father　Pedro's　momentary　interest　had　passed。　　The　words　of　his

companions　fell　dull　and　meaningless　upon　his　dreaming　ears。　　He

was　conscious　only　that　the　child　was　more　a　stranger　to　him　as　an

outcome　of　this　hard；　bustling　life；　than　when　he　believed　her

borne　to　him　over　the　mysterious　sea。　　It　perplexed　his　dazed；

disturbed　mind　to　think　that　if　such　an　antagonistic　element　could

exist　within　a　dozen　miles　of　the　Mission；　and　he　not　know　it；

could　not　such　an　atmosphere　have　been　around　him；　even　in　his

monastic　isolation；　and　he　remain　blind　to　it？　　Had　he　really　lived

in　the　world　without　knowing　it？　　Had　it　been　in　his　blood？　　Had　it

impelled　him　to　　He　shuddered　and　rode　on。



They　were　at　the　last　slope　of　the　zigzag　descent　to　the　shore；

when　he　saw　the　figures　of　a　man　and　woman　moving　slowly　through　a

field　of　wild　oats；　not　far　from　the　trail。　　It　seemed　to　his

distorted　fancy　that　the　man　was　Cranch。　　The　woman！　　His　heart

stopped　beating。　　Ah！　could　it　be？　　He　had　never　seen　her　in　her

proper　garb：　would　she　look　like　that？　　Would　she　be　as　tall？　　He

thought　he　bade　Jose　and　Antonio　go　on　slowly　before　with

Sanchicha；　and　dismounted；　walking　slowly　between　the　high　stalks

of　grain；　lest　he　should　disturb　them。　　They　evidently　did　not　hear

his　approach；　but　were　talking　earnestly。　　It　seemed　to　Father

Pedro　that　they　had　taken　each　other's　hands；　and　as　he　looked

Cranch　slipped　his　arm　round　her　waist。　　With　only　a　blind　instinct

of　some　dreadful　sacrilege　in　this　act；　Father　Pedro　would　have

rushed　forward；　when　the　girl's　voice　struck　his　ear。　　He　stopped；

breathless。　　It　was　not　Francisco；　but　Juanita；　the　little　mestiza。



〃But　are　you　sure　you　are　not　pretending　to　love　me　now；　as　you

pretended　to　think　I　was　the　muchacha　you　had　run　away　with　and

lost？　　Are　you　sure　it　is　not　pity　for　the　deceit　you　practiced

upon　meupon　Don　Juanupon　poor　Father　Pedro？〃



It　seemed　as　if　Cranch　had　tried　to　answer　with　a　kiss；　for　the

girl　drew　suddenly　away　from　him　with　a　coquettish　fling　of　the

black　braids；　and　whipped　her　little　brown　hands　behind　her。



〃Well；　look　here；〃　said　Cranch；　with　the　same　easy；　good…natured；

practical　directness　which　the　priest　remembered；　and　which　would

have　passed　for　philosophy　in　a　more　thoughtful　man；　〃put　it

squarely；　then。　　In　the　first　place；　it　was　Don　Juan　and　the

alcalde　who　first　suggested　you　might　be　the　child。〃



〃But　you　have　said　you　knew　it　was　Francisco　all　the　time；〃

interrupted　Juanita。



〃I　did；　but　when　I　found　the　priest　would　not　assist　me　at　first；

and　admit　that　the　acolyte　was　a　girl；　I　preferred　to　let　him　think

I　was　deceived　in　giving　a　fortune　to　another；　and　leave　it　to　his

own　conscience　to　permit　it　or　frustrate　it。　　I　was　right。　　I

reckon　it　was　pretty　hard　on　the　old　man；　at　his　time　of　life；　and

wrapped　up　as　he　was　in　the　girl；　but　at　the　moment　he　came　up　to

the　scratch　like　a　man。〃



〃And　to　save　him　you　have　deceived　me？　　Thank　you；　Senor；〃　said　the

girl　with　a　mock　curtsey。



〃I　reckon　I　preferred　to　have　you　for　a　wife　than　a　daughter；〃　said

Cranch；　〃if　that's　what　you　mean。　　When　you　know　me　better；

Juanita；〃　he　continued；　gravely；　〃you'll　know　that　I　would　never

have　let　you　believe　I　sought　in　you　the　one　if　I　had　not　hoped　to

find　in　you　the　other。〃



〃Bueno！　　And　when　did　you　have　that　pretty　hope？〃



〃When　I　first　saw　you。〃



〃And　that　wastwo　weeks　ago。〃



〃A　year　ago；　Juanita。　　When　Francisco　visited　you　at　the　rancho。　　I

followed　and　saw　you。〃



Juanita　looked　at　him　a　moment；　and　then　suddenly　darted　at　him；

caught　him　by　the　lapels　of　his　coat　and　shook　him　like　a　terrier。



〃Are　you　sure　that　you　did　not　love　that　Francisco？　　Speak！〃　　（She

shook　him　again。）　　〃Swear　that　you　did　not　follow　her！〃



〃ButI　did；〃　said　Cranch；　laughing　and　shaking　between　the

clenching　of　the　little　hands。



〃Judas　Iscariot！　　Swear　you　do　not　love　her　all　this　while。〃



〃But；　Juanita！〃



〃Swear！〃



Cranch　swore。　　Then　to　Father　Pedro's　intense　astonishment　she　drew

the　American's　face　towards　her　own　by　the　ears　and　kissed　him。



〃But　you　might　have　loved　her；　and　married　a　fortune；〃　said

Juanita；　after　a　pause。



〃Where　would　have　been　my　reparationmy　duty？〃　returned　Cranch；

with　a　laugh。



〃Reparation　enough　for　her　to　have　had　you；〃　said　Juanita；　with

that　rapid　disloyalty　of　one　loving　woman　to　another　in　an

emergency。　　This　provoked　another　kiss　from　Cranch；　and　then

Juanita　said　demurely；



〃But　we　are　far　from　the　trail。　　Let　us　return；　or　we　shall　miss

Father　Pedro。　　Are　you　sure　he　will　come？〃



〃A　week　ago　he　promised　to　be　here　to　see　the　proofs　to…day。〃



The　voices　were　growing　fainter　and　fainter；　they　were　returning　to

the　trail。



Father　Pedro　remained　motionless。　　A　week　ago！　　Was　it　a　week　ago

sincesince　what？　　And　what　had　he　been　doing　here？　　Listening！

He！　Father　Pedro；　listening　like　an　idle　peon　to　the　confidences　of

two　lovers。　　But　they　had　talked　of　him；　of　his　crime；　and　the　man

had　pitied　him。　　Why　did　he　not　speak？　　Why　did　he　not　call　after

them？　　He　tried　to　raise　his　voice。　　It　sank　in　his　throat　with　a

horrible　choking　sensation。　　The　nearest　heads　of　oats　began　to　nod

to　him；　he　felt　himself　swaying　backwards　and　forwards。　　He　fell

heavily；　down；　down；　down；　from　the　summit　of　the　mountain　to　the

floor　of　the　Mission　chapel；　and　there　he　lay　in　the　dark。



　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。



〃He　moves。〃



〃Blessed　Saint　Anthony　preserve　him！〃



It　was　Antonio's　voice；　it　was　Jose's　arm；　it　was　the　field　of　wild

oats；　the　sky　above　his　head；all　unchanged。



〃What　has　happened？〃　said　the　priest　feebly。



〃A　giddiness　seized　your　reverence　just　now；　as　we　were　coming　to

seek　you。〃



〃And　you　met　no　one？〃



〃No　one；　your　reverence。〃



Father　Pedro　passed　his　hand　across　his　forehead。



〃But　who　are　these？〃　he　said；　pointing　to　two　figures　who　now

appeared　upon　the　trail。



Antonio　turned。



〃It　is　the　Americano；　Senor　Cranch；　and　his　adopted　daughter；　the

mestiza　Juanita；　seeking　your　reverence；　methinks。〃



〃Ah！〃　said　Father　Pedro。



Cranch　came　forward　and　greeted　the　priest　cordially。　　〃It　was　kind

of　you；　Father　Pedro；〃　he　said；　meaningly；　with　a　significant

glance　at　Jose　and　Antonio；　〃to　come　so　far　to　bid　me　and　my

adopted　daughter　farewell。　　We