The Washington herald., 1919-10-09

II W dS oh NOW
could she understand this new
feeling? Felipe was the only
young man she had ever known.
One thought possessed Alessandro
after old Juan Canito. the head
parentage. THE Senorita has In
loves her not" When Ramona
wept at the Ssnora's unkindness, he
.rembled so that Felipe read his
secret
IF only my mother could think
it." reflected generous Felipe, "it
would be best to have Alessandro
stay here as overseer. and then
| they might be married"
The crisis came when Ramona's
eyes dimmed with tears because
she feared Alessandro's father
would not let him remain perma-
nently on the ranch.
"Senorita" he cried. tears have
come into your eyes. Then you
will not be angry IL say that I
love your
IT know. Alessandro; am glad Of
II; love you"
20 Senorita. do you mean that you
will go with me? You cannot mean
that"
Yes. I will go with you"
And then. as they stood locked in
each others arms, the Sonora dis
covered them,
shameful creature" she cried.
shifting Ramona's protesting lips.
She hustled the girl to her room
and locked her in.
Alessandro. watching sadly all
that night, heard two wood-doves
calling. 'Love7- Here Lover
Here" my Ramona is like the
gentle wood-dove." thought he. ''if
she is my wife my people will call
her Majel. the Wood-Dove."
In vain Felipe tried to persuade his
mother. In vain she coa1ed and
/ Threatened Ramona. The Jewels which
were to be Ramona's dowry, IL she
married worthily, were no temptation
When the Sonora scornfully declared.
l"Your mother was an Indian, a low,
common Indian" the girl was glad.
Why do you object to my marry
ing Alessandro?" she demanded. 81
am of his people. The jewels you can
give to the church. 1 shall marry
Alessandro."
Felipe sent AIessandro home to Te-
mecula until the storm should blow
over. But the long-dreaded Americans,
IN their search for more land. had
Just taken possession OF that peaceful
Village Dragged out of his own house
by force. old Pablo died Of grief. Ales-
sandro buried him. and then in utter
misery came back to bid Ramona fare
well.
Dearest Senorita! have no home"
he faltered. my father is dead: my
people driven out OF their village.
am only a beggar now"
But Ramona felt no fear Of priva-
tions. Take me with you!" she cried
After long pleading she overruled his
wiser arguments. and that night they
slipped away with Baba. Ramona's
own horse.
No trace of the lovers was found,
for those Indians who knew Alessan-
dro's whereabouts purposely misled in
cllirers, and at San Diego. where they
were married. Ramona had given Ales-
sandro's pet name for her. "Majella."
to be entered on the register.
Their first home was near Alessan-
dro's cousin in San Pasquale, where
the Indians received Ramona gladly.
She was very happy in her new life
under the sky" She accepted a tiny
brush hut as cheerfully as the COM
Portable adobe which Alessandro soon
built, and which she beautified beyond
belief. Gleefully she led Baba when
he plowed the first burrows in their
fields.
But Alessandro's anxiety rarely left
him. When he heard that the Mexi-
can pueblo paper OF San Pasquale was
Ill ,rfIr 4
belonged to the Americans in WASH
go mad" he said When American
ranchers appeared. he sold house and
crop and moved to Saboba, seeking a
place the Americans did not want
On the way to Saboba they nearly
perished in a snowstorm, but were
saved by an easy-going Tennesseean
family. the Hyers. with whom they
became friends. Already Ramona's
heart had been wrung at hearing of
Father Salvierderra's death. Now
came a new grief; she feared for Al
essandro's reason. Could he bear an
other blow? "Eyes-of-the-Sky," their
baby girl. never recovered from her
exposure to the storm and died on the
way to the agency doctor who would
not come to her. White men began
to encroach and to be insulting.
I'VE will hide forever" declared
Alessandro. Leaving horses and wa
gon in San Bernadtno with the Hyers
for the winter. they went to a tiny
valley. almost inaccessible, folded aigh
on Mt San Jacinto's slopes. Here
We are safe" exulted Ramona.
"'Pears like shed gone klar out 'er
this yer world inter another" unused
Aunt Ri Hyer. as she sat weaving
carpets and gazing up at the shining
mountain in the southern horizon.
When Alessandro saw the brown
eyes of his second daughter he sighed,
TT Is an i'll gift to have the eyes
Of Alessandro; they look ever on woe"
Now began attacks of mental dis
tress-wild flights from imaginary
white pursuers. Sometimes he tried
to drive flocks he fancied were his
own. One fatal day he salloped home
on a strange horse, taken by mistake
during one Of his "sicknesses." Il
'senor. viii explain" But Far
rar. the enraged owner, shot him
dead In the midst of his explanations.
Child In arms. Ramona ran for help