Maruja

d ears, she saw fit to bewail to her fellow-servants this further evidence of the decay of the old feudal and patriarchal mutual family confidenc

ite a gala-day-and he was a first-cousin of Guitierrez. And now, when this American goat of a doctor is kicked to death by a mule, the family must shut themselves up, that

t?" inquired F

a wild bull, and the Doctor's foot half out of the stirrups, and he not yet fast in his seat. And Pereo laughs a wild laugh and says: 'Watch if the coyote does not drag yet at his mustang's heels;' and Sanchez ran and watched the Doctor out of sight,

huddered and cr

ecy?" asked Faquita, hugging herself in her shawl wi

dumb he ever is after these visions-that he comes from them as one from

sneaking Doctor. Let us seek him; mayhap, Sanchez may be there. Come!

ong his functions, was supposed to exercise a supervision over the exits and entrances of the house. A large steward's room or office, beyond it a room of general assembly, hal

ularly supposed to avert the attempts of evil spirits to gain possession of his suspended faculties, Pereo looked not unlike a corp

r the repose of the American Doctor's soul to look after the health of thy superior, poor Pereo! Is it, t

ossing her head as she replied, pertly, that she was not there to defend her

t for nothing; but at pres

was followed by a long sigh from the insensible man. "His lips move,

nce early morning, when I came to speak with him, and found him lying here in a fit upon the floo

thee he speaks

a few tiny bubbles that broke upon his rigid l

u wast too old?" asked the ea

imself! in the s

a little giggle, half

ght, when I picked him up on the mound. He will sleep now-thou shalt see. H

he said, roughly, sitting up in bed, and eying the watchers around him, some of whom had succumbed to sleep, and others were engaged in playing cards. "Caramba! are ye mad? Thou, Sanchez, here; who shouldst be at thy work in

en waiting only for this moment to be assured that thou art better. For this idleness there is no blame-truly none. The

e news?" rep

n the others, as if to indicate t

r West was found this morning

ds. Then, seeing the vacuity of his question reflected on the faces of those around him, he adde

own from his horse, and so kill

thou?" said Pereo, with a s

im down upon us in the lane, and then thou didst say he would come to

ou sawe

our ago! Juan brought the news from the rancho where the inquest was. There will be a funeral the day after to-morrow! and so it is that some of the family

ss," thundered the old man, sitting upright. "

the gaunt figure of the old man rose, like a sheeted spectre, from the be

ne of those singular, epileptic-like strokes to which he was subject, and not only was unfit, but even required the entire care of Sanchez at the time. He did not attend the funeral, nor did Mrs. Saltonstall; but the family was represented by Maruja and Amita, accompanied by one or two dark-faced cousins, Captain Carroll, and Raymond. A number of friends and business associates from the neighboring towns, Aladdin and a party from his house, the farm laborers, and a crowd of working men from his mills in the foot-hills, swelled the assemblage that met in and around the rude agricultural sheds and outhouses which formed the only pastoral habitation of t

ergyman from San F

ormal recognition of the text, "dust to dust." He paid a not ungrateful compliment to the business associates of the deceased, and, without actually claiming in the usual terms "a continuance of past favors" for their

singular shyness creeping over her, until, to her own astonishment and indignation, she was obliged to lower her eyes before his gaze. In vain she tried to lift them, with her old supreme power of fascination. If she had ever blushed, she felt she would have done so now. She knew that her face must betray her consciousness; and at last she-Maruja, the self-poised and all-sufficient goddess-actually turned, in half-hysterical and girlish bashfulness, to Carroll for relief in an affecte

e felt herself breathlessly hang

the fonda, who picked up your

at him at that moment with the others, but she dared not. She contented herself with softly brushing some dust

othes, and, it is said, some money, and sent him on his way. Now, more remarkable than all, our friend, on hearing of his benefactor's death, actually tramps back here to attend his funeral. The Doctor being dead, his executors not of a kind to emulate the Doctor's spasmodic generosity, and t

tories?" asked Maruja, with her f

ive practical experience of tramps, was str

o something for him," sai

erfect story? Never! If I should offer him ten dollars, I'd e

ready moved a few paces off with Carroll, and seemed to be listening to him only. Raymo

tually like me to see if I could assist the virtuous tramp? You have only to speak." But Amita's interest ap

she rejoined Amita with her usual manner. The others had re-entered the carriage, but Maruja took it into her head to proceed on foot to the rude building whence the mourners had issued. The foreman, Harrison, flushed and startled by this apparition of

d completely lost it in the intervening billows of grain. She stopped, with an impatient little Spanish ej

a step in utte

e the bending heads of the grain just beyond her. He stopped here and drew to one side, his arms still extended, to give her free passage. She tried to speak, but could only bow her head, and slipped by him with a strange feeling-suggested by his

said Amita, "where

h a slight nervous shiver, poi

fraid you

pretty lashes heavenwards, as she dre

u look strange," said Carr

parkling, but sh

e said, hastily, glanc

indecent, I should say that the late Doctor had made you

to have commented on my looks," said

r eyelids were quivering over their fires as if they h

ing of?" said Carro

d that his eyes were blue. But she looked quietly into her lover's