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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Penance of Magdalena and Other Tales of
+the California Missions, by J. Smeaton Chase
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: The Penance of Magdalena and Other Tales of the California Missions
+
+Author: J. Smeaton Chase
+
+
+Release Date: October, 2005 [EBook #9063]
+This file was first posted on September 2, 2003
+Last Updated: May 11, 2013
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PENANCE OF MAGDALENA AND OTHERS ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by David A. Schwan
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+THE PENANCE OF MAGDALENA
+
+AND OTHER TALES OF THE CALIFORNIA MISSIONS
+
+By J. Smeaton Chase
+
+
+
+With Illustrations (not available in this edition)
+
+
+
+
+FOREWARD
+
+Among the California Missions the southern group form a natural unit,
+just as does, geographically, Southern California itself--the region
+covered by the familiar California formula, "South of the Tehachapi."
+It is thought that this little set of tales, extracted from the larger
+work, The California Padres and Their Missions, in which Mr. Charles
+F. Saunders and the writer collaborated, may be welcomed by those many
+persons whose interest in Mission affairs is more or less limited to the
+five here included, which are, probably, the most notable, historically
+and architecturally, of the whole chain of these venerable monuments of
+Franciscan zeal.
+
+J. S. C.
+
+
+
+
+SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO--THE PENANCE OF MAGDALENA
+
+
+
+Slowly, very slowly, the greatest and most beautiful of the Missions of
+Alta California had risen among the swelling lomas of the valley of the
+San Juan. Brick by brick and stone by stone the simple Indian laborers,
+under the tutelage of the Fathers, had reared a structure which, in its
+way and place, might not unfitly be compared with those great cathedrals
+of Europe in which we see, as in a parable, how inward love and faith
+work out in material beauty. Huge timbers of pine and sycamore, hewn on
+Palomar, the Mountain of Doves, many miles away, had been hauled by oxen
+over trackless hill and valley, to form the joists and rafters that
+one sees to-day, after the lapse of more than a century, firm and
+serviceable, fastened with wooden spikes and stout rawhide lashings.
+
+In all these labors Te-filo had taken a principal part. As a child he
+had been christened with the name of Lucas, and had carried it through
+boyhood. But when about fourteen years of age, he had been transferred
+from the duties of a herder to learn the simple crafts taught in the
+workshops; and his industry and intelligence had so commended him to the
+overseers and Padre Josef that one day the latter, praising him for some
+task especially well performed, had said, half in jest, "Hijo mio, we
+must christen you over again. You are excelent'simo, as San Lucas said
+of San Te-filo in the superscription to his holy evangel; so I shall
+call you Te-filo, excelent'simo Te-filo, instead of Lucas; why not?" And
+Te-filo the boy became from that day, though Lucas he remained in the
+record of baptisms kept in the tall sheepskin volume in the Father's
+closet.
+
+So useful and diligent was the boy that the Father soon took him to be
+his own body servant, and many an hour did Te-filo pass handling
+with religious care the sacred vessels and vestments and books in the
+sacristy and in the Father's rooms. One day the Father noticed with
+displeasure that on the blank flyleaf of his best illuminated missal,
+lately sent to him by a friend in his old college at Cordoba, in Spain,
+there were some rough drawings in red and blue. Evidently the person
+who had drawn them had tried to obliterate his work, but had only partly
+succeeded. The Father could not help noticing, however, that, crude as
+were the formal floral designs and sacred emblems that had been copied
+by the culprit from the emblazoned letterings and chapter headings of
+the missal, the work showed undoubted taste and talent; and this gave
+him an idea. Why should he not adorn with frescoes, in color, the
+cornices, and perhaps even the dome, of the new church? It would be a
+notable addition, and would give a finishing touch to the beauty of
+the building, if it could be done. And here, evidently, was a hand that
+might be trained to do it--the hand, probably, of his favorite, Te-filo,
+for he alone had access to the book-shelves in the Father's room.
+
+So when next he saw the boy he asked, "Te-filo, who has been drawing
+in my new missal?" The boy hung his head, and the Father, taking
+his silence as an admission of guilt, added, "That was wrong of you,
+Te-filo, and I must give you some penance to remind you not to do such
+mischief again. Do you know, boy, what that book is worth? Not less than
+twenty pesos, Te-filo, or even more. That is one year's wages of Agust'n
+the mayordomo, so you can see such things must be left alone. But come
+to me this evening after the Doctrina, and I will set you your penance."
+
+When the boy, with downcast look, came to him in his room that evening,
+the Father said to him, "What made you do it, Te-filo?" And the boy
+answered "I did not mean to do harm, Padre, but the pictures are so
+beautiful, and I tried to make some like them. Then I tried to rub them
+out, but they would not come off." The Father smiled indulgently. "No,
+my son," he said, "the wrong things we do, even innocently, do not come
+off. You must remember that in future. But they can be forgiven by the
+good God, Te-filo, and even so I forgive you for the book. And your
+penance shall be to come each evening at this time and learn to draw
+properly. What do you say?"
+
+"Oh, Padre!" cried the boy; and he took the Father's hand and put it,
+Indian fashion, to his forehead in token of gratitude.
+
+Agust'n the mayordomo was, next to the Father, the most important man
+about the Mission. He it was who, under the priest's supervision, had
+charge not only of the labors and general governance of the Indians, but
+also of the business affairs of the establishment, even to the care
+and sale of the cattle, hides, and tallow, which, produced in enormous
+quantity, were almost the only, but a quite considerable, source of
+revenue to all the California Missions. Agust'n was a half-breed, or
+mestizo, the son of one of the Spanish soldiers who had come to Alta
+California with Serra and Portola. His mother was an Indian woman, to
+whom his father had been married by Father Serra himself. That was in
+1776, the year of the establishment of the Mission, and Agust'n, the
+oldest son of the marriage, had risen before the age of thirty-five to
+his important post, partly by natural ability, and partly by the fact of
+his mixed Spanish blood, which of itself gave him prestige and authority
+with the Indians. He had quarters adjoining those of the Father, on the
+main corridor of the cuadro.
+
+His family consisted of his wife, Juana, chief of the lavanderas, or
+washwomen, and several children, the oldest of whom, Magdalena, was
+now growing into the fresh and early womanhood of these Southern races.
+Already she had lovers, who took such opportunities as the strict
+discipline of the Mission life allowed (and they were rare) to endeavor
+to awake a response in her heart. But she held herself aloof from all.
+Proud of the Spanish blood in her veins, though that blood was but that
+of a common soldier, she counted herself to be of the gente de razon,
+far above the level of the mere Indians, her mother's people. And,
+indeed, in her finer features, quick glance, and more spirited bearing,
+the difference of strain was manifest: the Latin admixture, though only
+fractional, justified itself in evident supremacy over the aborigine.
+
+This proud element in Magdalena's nature had the unfortunate effect of
+bringing her into conflict with the Father and the Church. Not that she
+would, out of mere perverseness, have refused obedience, but the Father,
+himself a Spaniard, viewed all who were not of the sangre pura as
+Indians, all alike. This the girl felt and resented, and her resentment,
+though unexpressed, showed in numberless ways; while the Father, on his
+part, viewed her only as an obstinate Indian child, naturally averse to
+good influences.
+
+It chanced one day that Agust'n, overlooking the making of adobe bricks
+at the clay pits a mile from the Mission, needed to send a message to
+the Father on some point concerning the work; and, Magdalena having been
+sent to carry their midday meal to the brick-makers, he entrusted her
+with the errand. Failing to find the Father in his private room, she
+went to the next door of the corridor. It was half open, and she glanced
+in. The Father was not there, but she saw, bending over a table set
+against the window, a young man. His back was turned to her, and he was
+so intent upon his occupation that he had not heard her step. She
+should have turned and gone, for the rules were strict, and forbade
+conversation between the girls and young men of the Mission: but her
+curiosity was keen to know what the Indian boy (as she knew he must be)
+was doing in the Father's quarters, and what it could be that kept him
+so absorbed. Moreover, a spirit of defiance was in her. If the Father
+found her loitering there he would reprimand her. Well, she would break
+the rules: she was no Indian; and if he caught her there she would tell
+him so. Yes, she would see what the young man was doing; she wanted
+to know, and she would know. Quietly she stole into the room and edged
+round to one side go that she could see partly across the table. The
+young man was painting, in wonderful colors, on a sheet of parchment,
+painting wonderful things--beasts, and birds, and flowers, and even
+angels, a wonder of wonders to the simple girl.
+
+At some involuntary sound that she made, the young man--it was
+Te-filo--turned and saw her. Her eyes were fixed upon him, wide with
+wonder, and her hands half raised in childlike rapture, while her
+slender figure, so different from the heavier forms of the Indian girls,
+gave her, to his eyes, the look and bearing of one of the very angels
+he had been copying. It was a marvel on his side, too; and for a few
+moments the two regarded each other, while love (that is born so often
+of sudden wonder in innocent hearts) awoke and stirred in both their
+breasts. They had often met before, but it had been casually, and the
+hour had not been ripe. Now he saw her and loved her; she saw him,
+an Indian, indeed, but transfigured, for he was an Indian who worked
+wonders. And the Spaniard in her gave way, that moment, to the Indian,
+and she loved an Indian, as her father had done.
+
+He was the first to recover his self-possession. "The Father is not
+here," he said. "He will be back soon, for he set me my task until he
+should return, and I have almost done it." "Is that your task?" she
+asked. "How beautiful! How wonderful!" And she stepped nearer the table.
+"Show me, how do you make them? I never thought that Indians could make
+such things. I have heard my father say that holy men in Spain could
+make angels, but you are an Indian: how can you do it?" "I cannot tell
+you," he said slowly: then "Yes, I will tell you," and a flush came on
+his dark face, and a light into his eyes, as he looked at her. "I do not
+make them, these angels; they come to me because the Father has taught
+me to love them. He says the angels come to those who love them, and any
+one can love them. And when I saw you," he went on, his eyes upon her
+eager face, "I thought you were the angel I was painting, for you are
+like an angel, too; and now I shall always love you, and it will be easy
+to paint. Listen! the Father is coming. You must go quickly, but now
+I have seen you I must see you again. You are Magdalena, Agust'n's
+daughter. I shall find you to-morrow when I take the orders for the work
+to your father."
+
+Magdalena slipped away, and thus was begun the short but happy love of
+Te-filo and Magdalena short, like the history of the beautiful Mission
+itself; happy, as all love is happy, let its end be what it may. Many a
+time they met in secret, for sweet interviews or even a hurried word
+or glance; but love grows best in the shade. And meanwhile, the great
+church had been growing too, and now it was Te-filo's proud task to
+paint the frescoes on the walls and dome, as the Father had hoped.
+Simple designs they were to be at first,--floral emblems and the symbols
+used for ages by the Church, but later Te-filo was to essay much
+more ambitious things, perhaps even the archangels, and San Juan, the
+soldier-saint, himself.
+
+It was the winter of 1812, and Te-filo and Magdalena had loved each
+other for over a year, when Te-filo one day spoke to the Father of
+Magdalena, and said that he wished to marry her. For months Magdalena
+had tried to be dutiful and to engage the Father's interest, on her
+side, in their favor, in preparation for Te-filo's broaching of
+the subject to him. But she felt always that he remembered her old
+hostility, and that he still considered her a mere disaffected Indian
+of his flock. They had often talked of this, but Te-filo, who loved the
+Father for the special kindness he had always shown him, believed that
+he would agree to the marriage. Why should he not? he said. It would
+make no difference to him, and he, Te-filo, would work better than ever,
+to show his gratitude.
+
+When at last he spoke of the matter, the Father peremptorily denied his
+request. Agust'n's daughter was an obstinate, perverse child, and would
+only lead Te-filo away too. He would give thought to the matter, and
+would see what girl there was suitable for him, and then, if he wished
+to marry, well and good. He would give them two rooms in the corridor,
+near his own, and would allow him pay as his body servant and for
+his work, and perhaps other privileges as well. And that was all; for
+Te-filo knew that he would not be moved from his decision. Good man as
+the Father was, he had the Spaniard's failing in dealing with a subject
+race a certain hardness arising from a position of authority not allied
+with responsibility--except to God, and that, indeed, the Father felt,
+but he conceived that his duty to his Indians, apart from his spiritual
+ministrations, was entirely comprised in the teaching, feeding, and just
+governing of them.
+
+When Te-filo told Magdalena, at their next meeting, what the Father had
+said, the girl was enraged. "So he thinks I am not good enough for you!"
+she cried: "And I have done everything to please him. But he is only a
+priest, and has no heart. Ah! those Spaniards, I hate them!" And then,
+with a woman's illogical turn--"Well, he shall see that I am Spanish
+too. We will go away to the Mission at San Diego, Te-filo. My father's
+brother is there, and I have heard my father say that he has influence
+with the priest. He will marry us, and you can work there as well as
+here."
+
+But Te-filo was in doubt. His love for Magdalena and his love and
+reverence for the Father contended. He was a simple, guileless soul, and
+the thought of ingratitude to his benefactor was a misery to him. Some
+other way must be found: the saints would help them; he would pray to
+San Lucas, who, the Father had told him, was his patron, for he had been
+born on his day and christened by his name: and Magdalena must pray,
+too.
+
+Magdalena, however, took up now an attitude of open rebellion, and
+absented herself entirely from the services of the Church. This was
+another trouble to Te-filo, and daily over his work he prayed to San
+Lucas, and pondered what was best to do. But days and weeks went on, and
+his inward disquiet began to take effect in his appearance and behavior.
+The Father, busy with the multitudinous affairs of the Mission, had
+entirely forgotten the matter of Te-filo's request: but one day he
+chanced to notice his favorite's listless air, and it recalled the
+affair to his mind. A day or two afterwards he said to Te-filo, as the
+latter was with him in the sacristy, "Te-filo, you are dull and not
+yourself. You were right, it is time you were married, and I have the
+very one for you. It is Ana, the daughter of Manuel, who works in the
+smith's shop. She is a good girl. I will speak of it to her father."
+
+"Padre," said Te-filo, "I cannot marry Ana, nor any one else but
+Magdalena, for I love her. Oh, Padre,"--and he dropped on his knees
+before the priest,--"let us be married. You do not know, she has tried
+hard to be good, and to please you. And I will work for you all my life.
+I have been praying to San Lucas ever since I told you, but he has not
+done anything."
+
+The priest was moved by the earnestness of the boy--for boy he had
+always considered him, and indeed he was little more in age. "Well, hijo
+mio," he said, "I do not know about that. The saints always hear us,
+as I have told you, and perhaps--who knows?--San Lucas may do something
+yet. Or, perhaps," he added with a smile, "it is because we changed your
+name, and he does not look on you as his son. Well, that was my fault.
+But you say that Magdalena has tried to please me? Good, then we will
+see. I will set her a penance, for she has not behaved well; then
+I shall see if she wishes to please me. To-morrow will be a day of
+observance, and there will be early mass in the church. Tell Magdalena,
+Te-filo, that she must come to mass and carry a penitent's candle. Let
+her be in the front row of the women. If I see her there I shall know
+she is obedient, and perhaps, yes, perhaps,--well, we will see about the
+rest."
+
+"Oh, Padre," Te-filo exclaimed, "you are my padre, indeed;" and he put
+the priest's hand to his forehead. "I know she will come, and I know she
+wishes to please you. And Padre," he said, "I have made a picture of the
+angels of La Navidad. I did it to please you" (he was about to add, "and
+Magdalena," but prudence stopped him in time). "I thought--I thought--"
+
+"Well, what did you think, hijo mio?" asked the priest.
+
+"I thought, Padre, that if you liked it, and said it was done well, it
+would be fine on the high roof, Padre, the angels, four of them, in the
+middle of the roof: like this, Padre, see!" An he raised his hands in
+the attitude in which he had seen Magdalena when she met him in the
+Father's room. "I could do it, Padre, if you like it."
+
+"Angels, Te-filo!" said the Father. "Hm! I do not know. It is hard to
+paint the holy angels, and diligent as you have been, I hardly think you
+are an Angelico. But go and bring what you have done, and I will see.
+Indeed, it is just what I would have, but it must be well done, or it
+will spoil the rest."
+
+The boy ran off, and returned quickly with a large sheepskin on which
+he had drawn in colors a really fine design: four angels in attitudes of
+worship, with uplifted hands, and eyes that expressed, crudely yet well,
+the wonder that the Holy Ones might well feel at the Miracle of the
+Manger.
+
+"Ah, and did you really draw this?" asked the priest. "It is excellent,
+Te-filo; we must make a painter of you in earnest; perhaps we might even
+send you to Mexico to be taught by a good artist. There is one of the
+Brothers at the College of San Fernando who would train you well. I
+think this is what San Lucas has been doing for you, after all. But how
+did you do it, Te-filo? What did you draw from?"
+
+"Padre," said Te-filo tremblingly, "I will tell you, but do not be
+angry. It was Magdalena. I saw her once, at first, and she was like
+that, yes, exactly like that, with her hands up, so. She was like one of
+the angels in your new missal, and I remembered, and drew it many times
+over, and do you really think it will do for the church, Padre?" he
+finished eagerly, his face aflush with excitement.
+
+"Yes, it is certainly good enough, Te-filo," said the Father. "We will
+have gold round the heads and golden stars on the robes, and San Juan's
+church shall be the finest in California. Though how it comes that the
+girl Magdalena can have been your model passes my understanding. Indeed,
+I think it is the good San Lucas, or San Juan himself, who has helped
+you. Well, you deserve praise, Te-filo, and perhaps some reward. But go
+now, and tell Magdalena to come to first mass to-morrow, as I said. You
+may take a candle from the sacristy and give it to her."
+
+That evening Te-filo told Magdalena all that had happened. But her
+Spanish blood was in hot rebellion, and in spite of her love and
+Te-filo's entreaties, she would not give in. To carry a candle, as if
+she were one of the Indian girls, caught in disgrace! No, it was too
+much. Why, the whole pueblo would see her, and laugh (which, indeed, was
+true for she had held herself above the girls of the Mission, and was
+not loved by them). In vain Te-filo told her of the Father's words
+about sending him to Mexico to become a real painter. No, it would be
+a victory for the Father if she gave in, and he should see that she was
+Spanish as well as he. And contemptuously she tossed the candle aside
+into the chia bushes in the courtyard, where they talked in the shadow
+of the arches.
+
+It was with a heavy heart that Te-filo left her, yet with a faint hope
+that she might repent and come to mass in the morning. It was a dull,
+oppressive night, such as comes rarely in California, even in the summer
+heats. Te-filo slept but little, and twice during the night he got up
+from his bench bed and prayed to San Lucas, for this seemed to be the
+final chance for his and Magdalena's happiness, and after his interview
+with the Father all had seemed so bright that it was hard now to give
+up hope. Magdalena, on her part, slept not at all, but she did not
+pray. Instead, she lay with wide-open eyes in the darkness of her little
+windowless room, looking up at the low ceiling and fighting over in her
+heart the old battle of love and pride. One might say that love stood
+for the Indian and pride for the Spaniard in her, and that it was an
+incident in the old feud that began with Cortes and Malinche. And then
+she thought of what Te-filo had told her, how he had told the Father
+about painting the angels for the church because he had seen her
+standing with upraised hands, like an angel, that day. Poor Te-filo! how
+he loved her! and how she loved him, too! It was hard, very hard,
+that there was so much trouble. How happy they might be! And he was so
+clever, and might be a real painter, not working in the fields or at the
+workshops, but only painting angels and beautiful things. And she was
+the cause, in a way, of his being so clever she was proud of that, and
+the thought made her glow, simple Indian girl as she was, with a woman's
+sweetest thrill--he was clever because of her! Yet now she must spoil it
+all, and all for the Father's hardness.
+
+But then, must she?--for she knew that it lay with her, after all. She
+could make all so happy why not? Ah, but the humiliation! No, she could
+not. But could she not? The humiliation would soon be over, and the
+prize was so great. They might be married, and even at once. Yes and
+no, yes and no--so the fight went on, as the hours dragged past and the
+heavy air pressed upon her restless nerves and forbade sleep.
+
+It would soon be dawn, and now she must decide. Then the thought came
+to her, should she pray to San Lucas, as Te-filo had been doing? Perhaps
+after all he would help them. She got up, and creeping quietly into the
+adjoining room, where her father and mother were asleep, she knelt at
+the little crucifix that hung on the wall, and tried to pray. But no
+words would come, and she was about to rise and go back to her bed when
+it seemed as if words were whispered in her ear, echoes carried in the
+brain from something she had once heard, no doubt, in the church--". . .
+levant--a los humildes . . . raised up the humble. . ." She had noticed
+the words, because they were so averse to her ways of thought: the
+humble, why, that was like the Indians whom she had always despised.
+But, after all, perhaps that was San Lucas's answer; for she saw that it
+would settle all her trouble. Well, be it so she would be humble, if San
+Lucas told her; and she would obey the Father, and then, at last, all
+would be well.
+
+She rose, and, remembering the hateful candle, went into the quadrangle
+and searched for it. There it lay among the chias, and she picked it up
+and carried it to her room. Light was dawning in the east, and she did
+not lie down again, but stood in her door, making up her mind to the
+humiliation she was to undergo for the sake of Te-filo and their love.
+She did not waver now; indeed, in her young, strong passion she gloried
+in the sacrifice she would make for love's sake. She dressed herself
+with care. They ate no meal that day before mass, which was to be at six
+in the morning. If only, she thought, she could tell Te-filo that she
+had resolved to do the penance, it would make it so much easier; but
+there would be no way of seeing him until they were at the service,
+and then the men would be on one side and the women on the other; so he
+would not know until he saw her, and perhaps he would not look, for she
+had said she would not go. Then a thought came to her with delicious
+joy: she would make up to him, and punish herself, for having refused,
+by waiting till the people were all in the church, and then going in
+alone, so that everybody would see her, and Te-filo would see what she
+could do for him.
+
+Solemnly the great bell sounded out the summons to prayer. It was
+a special day, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and all were
+expected to come to mass, old and young. The morning was heavy and
+airless, and the people, rising from sleepless or restless beds, moved
+languidly and in hardly broken silence toward the church, and, entering,
+ranged themselves, men and women separately, on either side of the
+building, facing the altar. Te-filo was in his usual place, near the
+front, and on the margin of the open aisle that divided the sexes. All
+had gathered before the bell ceased to sound, but Magdalena was not
+there. With a sinking heart Te-filo had watched, hoping against hope
+that she would repent and come. He saw Agust'n and Juana come in, and
+Agust'n go to the place near the altar which he held as mayordomo, while
+Juana merged in the crowd of undistinguished Indian women. So Magdalena
+was obstinate, and the prospect of happiness that had looked so bright
+yesterday was all over and spoiled. But he must not blame her: she was
+not just an Indian, like him. And with a sigh he ceased to watch the
+doorway and turned to face the altar.
+
+The Father entered, and bent the knee before the altar in view of the
+congregation, who also had knelt on his appearing. The church was in
+darkness but for the illumination of candles about the altar and a gray
+and sickly daylight that came in at the open door. As the Father turned
+to the people there was a stir among the women who had taken places near
+the entrance, and a figure appeared, carrying a lighted candle. It was
+Magdalena. She walked steadily up the passageway between the men and the
+women toward the priest, who stood facing her. A black shawl was thrown
+over her head, and her face, pale with sleeplessness and trouble, and
+lighted by the candle she carried, seemed to glow against its dark
+background as if illuminated from within. Te-filo had turned at the
+sound of her entrance, and watched her as if fascinated during her
+passage up the aisle. She did not see him, for her eyes were on the
+ground: but she knew his place, for he had often told her; and as she
+came near to where he was kneeling she turned a little toward him, and
+murmured, so that only he should understand, "It is for thee, Te-filo."
+
+As she came close to the altar step, the Father's eyes rested on her
+with a glance that seemed to say, "It is well, my daughter." Then he
+began the service, while Magdalena knelt in the front row of the women.
+There was an unusual stillness among the people, for the incident of
+Magdalena's penance had not been known, and had taken all but Te-filo
+and the Father by surprise; while the sultry half darkness and the
+stagnant air seemed to add to the feeling of awe. So the service
+proceeded.
+
+Suddenly, without warning, at the offertory, destruction broke. There
+came a shock; a pause of terror; another shock, that made the solid
+walls rock to and fro; a terrible cry, "El temblor!" and in panic the
+people rose from their knees and rushed toward the door. A third shock
+came, heavier than the other two; and cornices and masses of plaster
+began to fall.
+
+At the first cry of the frightened people Te-filo had risen to his feet.
+He looked to where Magdalena had been kneeling, and saw her standing,
+still holding her penitent's candle alight in her hand. As the people
+rushed toward the door both he and Magdalena were almost carried away by
+the panic-stricken throng; but he made his way to her, and they two were
+for a few moments alone, but for the priest, near the altar. When the
+third shock came he threw his arms about her. She seemed to have no
+fear, nor had he. The spirits of both had been under strain, and one
+thing only had been in their thoughts for hours before, so that they
+were in great degree oblivious to the general terror. As Te-filo put
+his arms about her, a bright smile came on her white face, and she said,
+pointing to the candle, "It was hard, but I prayed to San Lucas, and he
+told me to do it, and now we can be married." The shock continued, and
+became more violent. Pointing to the candle she said again, "I did it
+for thee, Te-filo mio." As she spoke, there came a terrifying sound from
+above: the great stone dome above them parted, and looking up they saw
+for a moment the calm face of the sky through a jagged rent in the roof;
+then the ponderous structure crashed down in ruin upon them and the
+huddled crowd of Indians that still struggled for escape.
+
+They were found the next day, their bodies crushed together. In her hand
+was still the penitent's candle.
+
+In one grave the Father, who escaped the death that fell that day upon
+twoscore of his flock, buried Te-filo and Magdalena; for, said he,
+making over them the Holy Sign, they were married, indeed, though in
+death. Still may be seen on the shattered walls and roof of the Mission
+church some faded, simple frescoings, the unfinished task and the
+memorial of Te-filo, the painter-neophyte of San Juan Capistrano.
+
+
+
+
+SAN DIEGO DE ALCALA--PADRE URBANO'S UMBRELLA
+
+
+
+Padre Urbano, priest in charge of the Mission of San Diego, was in a bad
+humor. If he had been asked what was the most necessary article in the
+cargo of the supply ship Santiago on the first of her half-yearly visits
+in the year 1830, he would almost certainly have said, the umbrella. The
+candles were important, no doubt; so was the new altar-cloth, for the
+present one had become shockingly worn under the unskillful treatment of
+the Indian lavanderas; so were the seeds, all the more so because he had
+included in the list seeds for an onion-bed, and onions were a delicacy
+to which his soul had long been a stranger. And many others of the
+articles he had named in his requisition had passed from a state of
+shortage into one of absolute vacancy on the storeroom shelves. But
+foremost in his thoughts was the umbrella. He had specified it with
+care,--such an umbrella as he had used in Spain, before ever he came to
+this destitute and heathen land; the size, a vara and a half across; the
+material, silk; the color, yellow; and as the warm spring sun smote ever
+more fervently upon his tonsured head, his thoughts had daily turned
+with yearning towards the good, ample quitasol that was to shield him
+from the fiery persecutions of his enemy, the prince of the power of the
+air.
+
+Well, the vessel had come that day, and with it the umbrella; and now,
+most cruelly dashing his long-cherished hopes, one of his Indians had
+stolen it! Moreover, to-morrow he was to start on his annual visitation
+of the outlying stations, and he had especially relied for comfort, on
+that long, hot, dusty round, upon the umbrella,--the fiend fly away with
+the miscreant who had taken it! thought the Father in his wrath.
+
+This is how it happened: The ship had sailed into the bay at early
+morning, and the lieutenant at the fort had straightway sent a runner up
+to the Mission with the cheering news, adding that the articles for the
+Father's personal use had been thoughtfully packed separately from the
+heavier goods, and the captain had obligingly kept the special package
+in his own cabin, so that it could be delivered to the expectant
+consignee at once on arrival. The Father had immediately dispatched two
+of his most trusted Indians, Pio and Jose, to receive the goods, which
+the captain had promised to have brought ashore in the first boat-load.
+
+The sergeant who delivered the goods to the Indians, in order to make
+the unwieldy package easy of transportation by the two men over the two
+leagues of road that lay between the bay and the Mission, had unwisely
+opened it in the presence of the Indians, so as to arrange the contents
+in two loads. The men had each taken one of the bundles and started for
+the Mission. In due course, Jose had arrived with his load, but alone,
+and in explanation had reported that at a mile or two from the bay his
+companion had fallen behind--to rest, as he supposed--while he continued
+on his way. After a time he had waited for Pio to come up, but the
+latter had not rejoined him. Jose had left his own load by the roadside
+and gone back to see what had become of him, but no trace was to be
+found of either Pio or his burden. There was nothing for him, Jose, to
+do but to continue on his way with his own part of the Padre's property,
+and here he was. Pio would doubtless come soon with the remainder.
+
+But Pio had not come, and the Father's fears, born as he listened to
+Jose's story, grew into angry certainty as hours passed and no Pio
+appeared. Examination of Jose's bundle had revealed the altar-cloth, the
+ink, the sugar, the onionseed, some books, and a few of the articles
+of clothing he expected, but the umbrella and part of the clothes were
+numbered with the missing; and though the clothes were not only valuable
+but much needed, somehow it was the umbrella that made the head and
+front of the crime in the Father's mind. Calling the Indians together
+after vespers, he announced the theft, denounced the thief, and
+pronounced his severest displeasure, with punishments proportionate,
+against any who should fail to do all in his or her power toward the
+apprehension of that ungrateful sinner, Pio.
+
+Let us see what had become of the rascal from the time when he
+disappeared. He had really dropped behind to rest, as Jose had supposed;
+but while resting, the desire had come to him to look again at that
+strange thing in his package. What could it be? He had seen the sergeant
+take it out of the box, along, thin object; then he put his hand
+somewhere on it, and pushed, and, wonderful! it had changed in an
+instant into a huge flower! Such a flower! Yellow like a sunflower,
+nay, like a thousand sunflowers, or the sun itself. Then he had done
+something again, and all at once it was as it had been at first.
+Talk about magic! All the things his father, old Kla-quitch, the
+medicine-man, used to do were nothing to this. He simply must have
+another look at it, and now was his chance, while Jose, who might tell
+the Padre, could not see. He slipped the cords from the bundle and took
+out the thing of mystery. A long stick, with some yellow cloth rolled
+round one end: but how to turn it into the other wonderful thing? He
+could not resist trying, and he felt about the stick, pushing this way
+and that, as he had seen the soldier do, and it began to open. He pushed
+again--it was done; behold the magic sunflower, beautiful, wonderful!
+And turning it round and round he feasted his eyes on it, the most
+astonishing thing he had ever seen; yes, and done, for he, Pio, knew how
+to make the Big Flower open.
+
+That is where the tempter caught him. What power that would give him
+over the other Indians! What was Kla-quitch, with his painted sticks and
+bones, compared with him, if only he were the possessor of this marvel!
+He should need no other stock in trade as medicine-man. The people would
+pay well to have it opened--that would be good medicine:--and simply
+keeping it shut would be bad medicine:--delightfully easy! How did
+it shut, by the by? He fumbled at the stick, but it did not close: he
+pushed and pulled, it made no difference. He pressed on the cloth; an
+ominous creaking warned him that Big Flower objected to being shut by
+force, and threatened to break.
+
+A nice fix he was in now: the genie he had raised would not down! He
+grew hot and cold by turns. Jose was far ahead by now: he ought to
+overtake him, but he could not appear before the Padre like this. He
+did not know what the purpose of the thing was, but most likely it had
+something to do with the Church, and he knew how strict the Padre was
+about even the handling of such objects. What should he do? The tempter
+had the answer ready,--there was only one thing he could do,--run away
+with the magic thing and be a medicine-man, as his father had been, only
+he would be a much more powerful and cunning one. Sly tempter! Poor Pio!
+He had only meant to nibble, and here he was, fairly hooked.
+
+Well, since he was in for it, he had better get away before any one saw
+him. He caught up the clothes and the umbrella and hurried off into
+the brush. It was not easy for him to make his way along with the
+obstreperous load, and he soon discovered that the best way to manage
+the umbrella was to carry it over his head. Very comforting he found it,
+too, though it did not for a moment occur to him that this was its real
+purpose. His plan was to go to his father's tribe, the Elcuanams, in the
+mountains far away. There he should be safe from the Padre, and should
+also have the prestige of his father's reputation. If there were another
+medicine-man in the tribe Pio could easily outrank him and capture the
+business. So he made a long detour, and came back by evening to the
+valley, but a mile or two above the Mission. It would be easier to
+travel with Big Flower by keeping to the river-bed instead of going
+through the brush, which constantly threatened to tear it. He had a
+faint idea that it might close of its own accord at evening, and glanced
+up anxiously several times to see if it was doing so; but evidently it
+was not that kind of flower.
+
+He heard the bells of the Mission ringing the Angelus, and shuddered as
+he thought of the wrathful Padre, no doubt now denouncing him publicly
+as a thief and renegade, and he hurried on till dark, when he found a
+sheltered spot and lay down. The night was chilly, and after a time the
+thought came to him that Big Flower would make a fine shelter: so he
+got up and arranged it so as to keep off the wind. Another idea: the
+clothes, why not put them on and be warm? It seemed a terrible thing to
+do, but he was running away from the Padre anyhow, so he might as well
+be comfortable as not. He got up again and spread out the clothes in the
+dim light: two woolen undershirts, two pairs of unmentionables to
+match, four large handkerchiefs of red silk, three pairs of blue woolen
+stockings, and a queer, three-cornered article, white, with strings,
+which he took to be some kind of pouch, but, by a happy thought, found
+to make an agreeable protection for the head. Also there was a pair of
+thick slippers of dark felt. He rolled the handkerchiefs up in a
+ball, and then drew on all the other garments except the slippers, not
+troubling to first remove his own scanty clothes consisting of a cotton
+jacket and pantaloons. He now felt pretty comfortable, and lying down
+again was soon fast asleep.
+
+When he awoke it was early morning. It was still cold, and he kept the
+clothes on. Indeed, it occurred to him that this was just the thing to
+do; it was much easier than carrying the bundle in one hand while Big
+Flower occupied the other. He would still have the slippers to carry,
+for he saw that they would soon be worn out if he wore them. With a
+few edible roots and berries he made a sort of breakfast, not without
+pensive recollection of the warm atole now being dished out at the
+Mission. When he was ready to go on he thought of the morning prayers at
+the Mission, and believing Big Flower to be something connected with the
+Church, the natural thing to do was to say his prayers before it, which
+he did, and then started on his way. After a few miles he knew he was
+near the shut-in valley (which we call El Cajon) and he remembered that
+there were Indians there who might know him. It is doubtful, really,
+whether any of his acquaintances would have stopped to recognize him had
+they caught sight of the figure he made, for it is safe to say that no
+such spectacle had ever been seen thereabouts as our friend Pio made,
+attired in the Father's underclothes, adorned with a nightcap, and
+carrying in one hand a vast yellow umbrella and in the other a pair of
+slippers. The handkerchiefs, much too fine to be wasted, he had tied
+together by the corners and made into a sash, such as he had seen the
+Mexican caballeros wear; and in his piebald of red, white, and blue, he
+made altogether a decidedly striking appearance.
+
+As he was considering turning aside and making another detour, he had an
+object lesson of the effect he produced upon his countrymen. An
+Indian appeared at a little distance. He was gathering wood, and as
+he straightened from stooping his eyes fell upon Pio. With a yell he
+dropped his load and fled at topmost speed, emitting such sounds as
+we try, but vainly, to utter in a nightmare. This, though a tribute to
+Pio's impressive aspect, and a gratifying omen of his success in the
+role of medicine man, was also a warning of danger. He dived again
+into the brush and devoted strenuous hours to threading his way through
+thickets of chaparral until he emerged on the trail that led northeast
+into the heart of the mountains. Big Flower was happily intact, and the
+nightcap also except for a missing string, but the outer layer of the
+other garments had paid toll to many an affectionate scrub-oak and
+manzanita, and the stockings that had stood the brunt were practically
+footless. Pio surveyed the damage ruefully, and rebuked himself for not
+having preserved his new property by wearing his own clothes outside. He
+would make the change now, and as it was getting hot he decided to
+wear only one set of the undergarments (the damaged ones) under his own
+clothes, and to carry the others. When the change was made, he hurried
+on. He had made one or two more attempts to make Big Flower close, but
+had not succeeded, so he now marched along in a businesslike way under
+the great parasol, apparently an Indian gentleman more than usually
+careful of his complexion, taking a brisk walk.
+
+One thing, however, he had to attend to, the question of food, for he
+was getting very hungry. He was now on a steep trail that led up to the
+valley now known as the Santa Mar'a, and there, he knew, was another
+rancher'a, or village. Here, too, he might be known, but he must take
+the chance: he must have food, and would boldly go and ask for it. As
+he pushed his way through the trees he came unexpectedly upon three
+fat squaws who were sitting beside the creek, pounding acorns and grass
+seeds into meal. Just as he saw them, they saw him, umbrella, nightcap,
+slippers, and all. There was one shriek, or rather, a trio of shrieks
+that sounded like one, and the women rushed like deer (albeit very fat
+deer) down the creek, and Pio heard them gabbling at top voice to what
+he knew must be the assembled and startled rancher'a.
+
+Our friend was a philosophical fellow, as we have seen, and as the
+natural thing to do was to gather up the little piles of meal, tie them
+up in the extra shirt, and make off with them, he did it. There was no
+need now for him to trouble the village, so he quietly withdrew by the
+way he had come, and, guided by the excited sounds that still reached
+his ears, made a roundabout way back to the trail, striking it beyond
+the village. At the next water, he mixed some of the meal into a gruel
+and ate it. It was not very palatable, and again he thought of the good
+food at the Mission, from which he was now forever debarred. But a
+look at Big Flower, gleaming like a great golden mushroom in the sun,
+consoled him, as he thought of the wealth and power he would enjoy among
+his tribe by means of this unparalleled marvel.
+
+Night found him halfway between the Santa Mar'a Valley and the next
+higher one, to which the Spaniards who had first seen it had given the
+name of Ballena, from the long mountain, like a whale in outline,
+that shuts it in on the northwest. He found water, made a fire in the
+time-honored Indian way by rubbing two dry sticks together, and cooked
+the remaining meal. There was enough for a good supper, and some over,
+which he made into little cakes, drying them hard on the hot stones.
+He put on all the clothes again to sleep in, and made a wind-break as
+before with the umbrella. It was really more comfortable than the hard
+bed in his hut at the Mission, and he felt more than contented, even
+jubilant, over the change in his fortunes.
+
+In the morning he said his prayers again before Big Flower, and started
+on his way early. He had pulled on the extra clothing at night over what
+he was then wearing, and as the morning was cold, and the trail good, so
+that the clothes would not be harmed, he did not take them off, except
+the extra stockings, nor change so as to wear his own outside. Thus he
+again presented the tricolor aspect that had paralyzed the natives he
+had met. It now occurred to him to make a little experiment, a sort
+of trial canter, of his new profession, upon the Indians in the next
+valley. He was not far now from his own village of the Elcuanams, and
+might as well be getting into training. He would avoid surprising any
+stragglers at the next village, and would get into touch with the head
+men, explaining that he was the long-lost son of Kla-quitch, who had
+escaped after all these years from the Mission, and had come back,
+learned in all the knowledge of the white men and armed further with
+this most wonderful appliance of magic, to take his place as hereditary
+medicine-man of his tribe. He should see by that means what sort of
+impression he would be likely to make on his own people. Nominally they
+were Christians; but they were hardly ever visited by the priest, and he
+knew that the bulk of them were still much as in his father's day, and
+still placed reliance on the fetishes of the shamans.
+
+Accordingly he made his approaches to the Ballena village with
+caution. It was about noon when he came near, and he could see, as he
+reconnoitered, that a group of men were talking together in the
+open space about which the houses were irregularly placed. That was
+excellent. He crept cautiously near, having some trouble to keep the
+umbrella out of sight till the psychological moment: and then, holding
+it high overhead with one hand and the slippers and extra garments in
+the other, in token of amity, he uttered the orthodox Indian greeting
+which answers to our "How d' ye do?" and advanced upon them.
+
+They looked up all together: there was a yell that wakened echoes that
+had slept for many a year; and in a twinkling the plaza (so to call it)
+was empty but for himself, and the braves were dodging about behind the
+houses in mortal terror of the hideous monster, worse than the white
+men, for he was an unheard-of, polychromatic kind of being, not only
+white, but red, blue, and yellow as well. It was no doubt the monster of
+whom the priest had warned them, who would appear one day, if they were
+not careful of their Christian duties (and they could not say they had
+been), and destroy them all and burn their village. The thing he had in
+his hand was doubtless the torch--see how it shone, just like fire! In
+vain poor Pio declaimed his speech: it fell on ears too demoralized
+to hear; and when one or two of them began to fit arrows to their
+bowstrings, the best thing to do was plainly to beat a prompt retreat.
+This he did, holding Big Flower ignominiously behind him to catch the
+arrows that he expected every moment to hear whizzing about him.
+
+He ran for some distance till he was out of sight of the inhospitable
+village, and then sat down to rest and think. The adventure began to
+take on an unpleasant complexion. If every one he came near acted like
+this he could not be a medicine-man, for there would be no one on whom
+to practice; and the bow and arrow episode was really alarming. What if
+his own people refused to hear him? No one would recognize him there,
+for he was a boy when he had been taken to the Mission, and he had
+never been chosen to accompany the Padre on his rare visitations to the
+Elcuanams, as it had been thought wise not to allow him to return to the
+old surroundings. What had he better do? Of course he might discard
+Big Flower and all the other fine things, and return to his people an
+undistinguished runaway from the Mission (as not a few others had done,
+to the scandal of good Father Urbano); but he could not bring himself
+to that, not yet, at least. Well, he would go on: probably the
+well-remembered name of Kla-quitch would make it all right.
+
+His discouragement over the Ballena reception caused him to travel
+slowly, and it was nearly sunset when he drew near the Elcuanam village.
+It had been a cool day, so he had kept all the clothes on (except the
+extra stockings). The village was in an open place, near the upper end
+of a wide valley, and he could see it and be seen from it for a good
+distance. He could not think of a better plan of operations than the
+one he had tried at Ballena, badly as it had worked there: namely, to
+maneuver so as to make his first appearance when a number of the chief
+men were together, and then get the name of Kla-quitch to their ears
+as quickly as possible. That would arrest their attention, and further
+particulars could follow.
+
+When he came in sight of the rancher'a he stopped and sat down to bide
+his time. Only a few women and children and an old man or two were
+about: the braves were probably out hunting, or, perhaps, bravely
+sleeping until the squaws should announce that supper was served. So he
+waited, hidden behind a rise of ground. At last the men, to the number
+of ten or a dozen, had congregated for the evening lounge and pow-wow.
+Pio slipped into the shadow of one of the little houses whence he could
+issue in full view of the conclave. He settled the nightcap on his head,
+grasped the umbrella in one hand and the slippers and stockings in the
+other, and at a lull in the conversation advanced. He had decided to
+dispense with the "How d' ye do?" in order to play his best card at
+once: so as he stepped into the light of the fire he merely uttered in a
+loud tone the word "Kla-quitch," to catch their attention. He succeeded.
+A dozen startled heads turned toward him, and as he spoke his talisman
+again, and moved toward them, there came a hysterical howl from a
+dozen most unmusical throats, and his audience, followed by the women,
+children, and dogs of the village, all shrieking in chorus, vanished
+into the night. It was a striking tribute to the memory and prowess of
+Kla-quitch (who, it was naturally supposed, had appeared and announced
+his return from the spirit world); but it was far from being what his
+son and intending successor had hoped.
+
+This was the very dickens (or whatever the Elcuanam equivalent may be),
+for poor Pio! Whatever was he to do now? He prowled about among the
+houses trying to find some one to whom to explain, but the panic had
+swept even the old men and women away. He could hear the people calling
+to one another from their spots of refuge, and ever the burden of
+the shout was either "Kla-quitch!" or "Yellow!"--that is to say, the
+Elcuanam word for that suddenly unpopular color. He began to feel
+bitterly toward Big Flower, the cause, it seemed, of so much trouble,
+and even toward his departed parent, whose name, so long after his
+death, was such very bad medicine as to wreck his son's chances
+everywhere.
+
+He squatted down by the fire, hoping that some of the men would return
+after a time, but none came. After sitting again by the fire for two
+hours or so, hoping vainly for company and pondering on his doubtful
+future, he felt sleepy, and stretched out with his feet to the blaze,
+not forgetting to set up his wind-break, really the only thing, he began
+to think, that Big Flower was good for.
+
+He did not wake till morning, when he looked round anxiously. He could
+see the whole population gathered a quarter of a mile away, pointing
+toward him and skirmishing for the best positions for viewing his
+actions. Evidently he was taboo for good and all, and the vision he had
+had of himself, as the feared and prosperous medicine-man of his tribe
+had been a very fancy portrait: feared he certainly was, but there it
+ended. It looked as if he had to choose between being a medicine-man
+all by himself, or abandoning all his paraphernalia and, after a day or
+two's judicious absence, rejoining his tribe in the humble capacity of a
+mere runaway from the Mission.
+
+Meanwhile he found some food--with difficulty, for the proprietors had
+removed their valuables during the night and made a middling breakfast.
+He had not fully determined what to do, so he stayed where he was until
+his next step should become clearer. The morning passed slowly, with no
+developments. He kept an eye on the crowd of watchers, and once or twice
+he was puzzled to see that they pointed not only at him, but along the
+trail to the south, by which he had come.
+
+Let us now go back a few hours, and take a look at Padre Urbano. We
+shall find him, not at the Mission, but only a few miles away--in fact,
+at Ballena. He had started on his visitations the next day after Pio's
+defalcation, and in anything but good temper. He had come, with his
+little party of half a dozen Indians, by the same general route that Pio
+had traveled, and had been only a few hours behind him. He did not stop
+at the Cajon and Santa Mar'a villages, as he meant to attend to his
+pastoral duties in those places on his return; but rumors reached him
+of some apparition having been seen by the natives. He knew these
+superstitious people only too well, however, and smiled at their
+credulity. At Ballena he stayed for the night, and was entertained with
+a more circumstantial account of a parti-colored demon who had been
+chased out of the village at arrow's point: but as he had not had time
+to check up the shortage in his clothes before leaving home, he did not
+recognize Pio under the description. He told the Indians, on general
+principles, that it was, as they supposed, a monster who had scented
+their slackness in religious affairs, and who would certainly call again
+if they did not amend, and next time would not be so easily put off.
+
+He left the Ballena rancher'a early and started for Elcuanam. This was
+the farthest from headquarters of all his parishes. An outpost station
+had been established there nine years before, under the name of Santa
+Ysabel, but, with only yearly visits since then, it was in a moribund
+condition and had not progressed beyond the architectural stage of a
+ramada, or brush shelter. A message had been sent a few days before
+(without Pio's knowledge, as it happened), telling the Indians to get
+the ramada ready for use, and giving the time of the Padre's intended
+arrival.
+
+The little procession, Padre, six Indians, and two burros carrying the
+necessaries for the observance of mass, wound its way slowly up from the
+lower to the higher valley, and just before noon arrived at the top of
+the last rise before the Elcuanam, or Santa Ysabel, village should be
+reached. The Father was in the lead, our early acquaintance Jose close
+behind. They halted for a moment to rest before going on to the village.
+The Father noticed with gratification that the whole population was
+stationed on a hillock just beyond the village, evidently in expectation
+of his arrival; but he wondered why the foolish people waited there,
+instead of hastening to meet him. They had caught sight of him, for he
+saw them gesticulate, and it seemed to him that they pointed toward the
+houses, as if to draw his attention to something. So he looked, and his
+eyes caught the gleam of a large yellow object, set up as if it were a
+shrine, in the center of the village. Very odd, he thought; what had the
+silly Indians been up to now? They moved on toward the village, and
+as they approached, the Elcuanams cautiously approached also. When the
+Father arrived pretty near, he stopped, gazed hard, rubbed his eyes,
+gazed again, and then said to Jose, "Jose, your eyes are better than
+mine: what is that in the village?" Jose's eyes were already starting
+from his head, as if to get a better focus on what he saw. "Padre,"
+he said, almost in a whisper, "I think it is the yellow thing that Pio
+stole. The sergeant made it open when we went for the package, and it
+was like that." "Holy Saints!" cried the Father; "it looks like that to
+me, too, but it cannot be. How could my umbrella get to Santa Ysabel?
+And what has become of Pio? If it is the umbrella, he must have brought
+it here." "Padre," said Jose, "there he is. I think it is Pio, but he
+looks very funny, and he is kneeling in front of the yellow thing as if
+he was saying his prayers." "Saying his prayers!" said the priest with
+warmth; "indeed, he had better say his prayers if it is he!" And the
+party hurried forward.
+
+As we know, there was no mistake about its being Pio. As for the
+prayers,--an unusual demonstration from the Elcuanams had caused him to
+glance again to the trail where they were pointing. There his horrified
+eyes had seen what seemed a miracle, but a most unfortunate miracle for
+him Padre Urbano himself, a sight as unmistakable as unbelievable.
+Panic seized him, but on the instant he had an inspiration, too: he was
+caught, and something awful was bound to happen; but why not at least
+make an attempt to disarm the Father's indignation by being caught in
+the attitude of worship, which the Padre was everlastingly inculcating?
+It might not mitigate his wrath, but then it might. He propped the
+unlucky Big Flower up so that it would stand, hurriedly stuffed a pair
+of stockings into each slipper, dropped them beside the umbrella, and
+then fell on his knees and began to patter Ave Marias, faster, and
+much more fervently, than he had ever said them before the altar at
+the Mission. In his haste he forgot to take off the nightcap, though,
+indeed, he hardly viewed it in the light of a hat, or cap.
+
+In this position the culprit was found by the Padre and his escort,
+and also by the Elcuanams, who, emboldened by the Father's fearless
+demeanor, had ventured back to the zone of danger. "Pio!" cried the
+Father, "get up and show yourself, if it is you. Sancta Mar'a! what
+is all this? Why, those are my clothes you are wearing, you graceless
+rascal! Take them off instantly, and tell me what you mean by this
+outrage. Bring him to me in the ramada, Jose, and be sure you bring
+the umbrella. Praise to the Saints! I have found it, and it seems to be
+undamaged, after all."
+
+On the way to the ramada the Father could not help looking round once or
+twice at the prisoner, who followed with hangdog look, escorted by the
+scandalized Indians from the Mission and a mob of astounded Elcuanams.
+His indignation began to melt as he thought of the miraculous recovery
+of the umbrella, and, since he was a genial and lenient soul, each
+glance he took at the wretched Pio tickled his risibles more and more,
+until his shoulders shook with merriment. Arrived at the court of
+justice he managed to get up an aspect of terrific severity as the
+malefactor was led in by Jose. The umbrella and the other incriminating
+evidence were deposited beside him. The Elcuanams and the other Indians,
+crowding about the entrance, crooked their necks with anxiety to
+see what would happen. Pio had not yet disrobed, and stood dolefully
+awaiting the worst, from nightcap to stockings a clown like and
+altogether incomprehensible figure. Again the Father's funny vein got
+the better of him. He knew that he was compromising himself forever, but
+for the life of him he could not help it--his lip trembled, he tried to
+control it but failed, he chuckled, giggled, cackled, and burst into a
+roar of laughter.
+
+It was no use to think of punishment after that. When Father Urbano
+at last got the shreds of his dignity together, the whole history was
+extorted from the trembling Pio, who, however, was shrewd enough to say
+nothing of his pagan dream of turning medicine-man. Gladly enough he
+shed the unlucky clothing. Vast quantities of water were brought from
+the spring and blessed by the Padre: the umbrella was sprinkled and
+sprinkled till no taint could remain; and then Pio, guarded by Jose,
+spent the afternoon in scrubbing the desecrated garments with bucket
+after bucket of holy water, while the assembled village, down to the
+smallest papoose, jeered at that most ignominious of spectacles--a man,
+washing clothes like a squaw!
+
+To complete Pio's penance, it was his task to carry the umbrella over
+the Padre during all the rest of the round of visitations, which, it
+seemed to him, as he marched mile after mile with aching arms, would
+never end. But end it did, and Father Urbano's umbrella at last arrived
+at its original destination, San Diego Mission. Finally, after many
+and various further peregrinations, it ended its travels at the sister
+Mission of Santa Ines, where to-day the reader may find it reposing,
+a treasured item in Father Alexander Buckler's curious collection of
+relics. It is but fair to say, however, that I am doubtful whether Good
+Father Alexander will vouch for my story of its early adventures.
+
+
+
+
+SAN GABRIEL ARCANGEL--THE BELLS OF SAN GABRIEL
+
+
+Rather a desolate little spot is the campo santo of San Gabriel; rather
+desolate, and very dusty. The ramshackle wooden crosses stagger wildly
+on the shapeless mounds; the dilapidated whitewashed railings, cracked
+and blistered by the sun, look much as though they might be bleached
+bones, tossed carelessly about; and the badly painted, misspelled
+inscriptions yield up their brief announcements only to a very patient
+reader. On the whole, depressing; but in a sleepy, careless way, like
+the little tumbledown houses of the Mexicans, across the road; like,
+also, the old Mission itself, yellowing and crumbling in the warm
+California sun into early decay.
+
+Walking slowly about among the humble mounds, my mind lazily weaving
+from the names and dates of Seoelvedas and Argyellos and Yorbas, with
+their romantic sound, a half-sad, half-delightful tapestry of fancy,
+I found myself at one inclosure of an appearance so different that I
+stopped to regard it particularly. It was the grave of a poor person,
+clearly, and not in that way noteworthy, for poverty was the air of
+the whole place. But it was carefully fenced with a high white railing;
+there were fresh flowers upon it; and it was evident that affectionate
+hands tended it. The short inscription, translated from its Spanish,
+recorded--
+
+              Ysabel, wife of Ramon Enriquez,
+        born July 20, 1875: died October 23, 1893
+                       Much Moved
+
+Eighteen years old, married, and dead! a sad strand of color this,
+to run into my tapestry, gay with silver lace, coquettish fans, and
+high-heeled Spanish slippers. Eighteen years old, married, and dead; and
+muy querida, much beloved! My thoughts stayed behind, as I moved on, and
+the words, with their soft inflection, would recur dreamily to me, again
+and again--muy querida; alas! muy querida.
+
+In the shade of a high remaining piece of the ancient mudbrick wall,
+three Mexicans, with cigarettes and sombreros, and gaudy as tulips in
+their striped serapes, were gambling, sleepily, at cards: from one of
+the little houses came the sleepy tinkling of a mandolin--muy querida.
+I wandered over to the edge of the little cemetery, and, sitting down,
+leaned against the hot wall, under the sleepy, flickering shade of the
+neglected olives and expiring walnuts of the Mission garden. Sleepily
+I watched the anxious labors of a hornet, busily building its nest of
+clay. A dragonfly hung for a moment before me, then alighted on a
+leaf and was suddenly smitten asleep. Everything drowsed, except the
+everlasting sun, pouring down ceaselessly his shriveling rays. Again,
+over and over, my mind dreamily repeated the words--only eighteen,
+married, and dead: muy querida.
+
+
+The bells of the Mission are ringing, clear and strong, under the
+practiced hand of old Gregorio. Who can ring like he? And to-day, of
+all days, he is doing his best, for it is the fiesta of the blessed San
+Gabriel himself, and there are people come from all the towns of the
+valley, to say nothing of Los Angeles, to the fiesta. Not but what the
+saint has his day every year; but this particular day is a day of days,
+a fiesta of fiestas: for the Padre has arranged a procession in San
+Gabriel's honor, and what Mexican would not ride thirty miles to see
+a procession? So to the hitching-posts all up the long street are tied
+tired horses that have come that hot morning from San Fernando, and
+Calabasas, and farther still. And here and there is a wagon that has
+brought a whole family, all to do honor to San Gabriel, and to see the
+sight of the day. And that is, pre'minently, Ysabel Alvarado, the beauty
+of the valley, who is to walk at the head of the procession to the
+church.
+
+The heart of the beautiful Ysabel is in commotion, somewhat like the
+bells themselves, as she listens to them and to the clamor of the
+children, who began to gather an hour ago before the cottage, and are
+now shrilly calling, "Y-sa-bel." And she can hardly stand still while
+her mother is busily putting the last touches to the wonderful array
+in which she is to appear. Never before has any girl of the village
+had clothes so beautiful, entirely of white, yes, even to the shoes and
+their rosettes and laces, all of white, so dear to the Mexican heart.
+Moreover, there was the thought of Ramon; Ramon, who she thought
+loved her: to-day would surely prove it, when he saw her so dressed,
+like--yes, indeed--like a grand senorita. Ramon had been working in
+Los Angeles, and there there were so many--she sighed to think how
+many--girls for him to choose from. But to-day he was to be here: old
+Marta, her mother, had found out, and told her: and to-day would
+surely tell. There were others, of course: Ramon's friend, Felipe, for
+instance: he was clever, and sang well, and she knew he liked her. But
+it was Ramon's face that would come between her and the little square of
+looking-glass; and it was Ramon, too, who came into her mind--the saints
+forgive her!--even when she turned for a moment to her little crucifix,
+to say a prayer for good fortune, special good fortune, that day.
+
+At last all was ready, even to the final brushing that her mother must
+give to the glossy hair which, parted by the dark, beautiful face, fell
+in a rippling shower almost to her knee. It is no wonder that Marta
+says, as she hovers, brush in hand, about her, "Thou art like the great
+picture of the blessed Santa Barbara, child, that I used to see in the
+Mission where I lived when I was as young as you"; and, to herself,
+"Ramon had best take care. Such flowers are not to be plucked every day
+as my Ysabelita." And it is no wonder that when Ysabel appears at the
+door, carrying carefully upright the waxen, fragrant spire of white
+lilies for San Gabriel which the Padre has sent to Los Angeles to
+procure, the excited expectation of the village and its visitors
+releases itself in a prolonged "Ah!" that nearly makes her laugh
+outright with happy pride. Least of all is it any wonder that Ramon
+Enriquez, gazing with all his soul, says, under his breath, "She is like
+an angel of heaven; yes, truly an angel is she, my Ysabel."
+
+The bells of the Mission ring happily, happily, as the little procession
+passes into the church: Muy querida, muy querida.
+
+
+Again the bells are swinging and ringing in the hot, sunny air. But it
+is not old Gregorio who rings now, one maybe sure, so irregular are
+the strokes--loud, soft, quick, slow--as if the green old bells were
+actually out of breath with laughing. No, Gregorio has rung for thirty,
+yes, nearly forty years, and his ringing is as steady as the pendulum of
+the Padre's great clock. Ah, it is Juan, young scapegrace! that rings,
+and out of breath, truly, is he; so that for once he is ready to obey
+when admonished by the Padre to leave off. "What a noise thou art
+making, Juanito! I think San Gabriel will be stopping his ears. Run
+up the choir steps, boy, and call to me if thou seest them coming."
+Willingly enough the bare-legged urchin raced away, and, perched like an
+acrobat on the narrow rail, holding by a trailing branch of the pepper
+tree, shielded his merry black eyes as he gazed up the road. His slender
+stock of patience was nearly exhausted before the sound of music reached
+his ears, and started his feet shuffling. "Padre, oh, Padre," he cried,
+"they are coming. I can hear the violin: it is Pedro that plays, I would
+bet anything. Ah, he can play! Yes, and Marta is coming first with the
+holy water."
+
+Down the road comes, again, a procession. One half of the village is in
+it, and the other half views it with animated admiration from doorways
+and verandas. Marta, her old black dress for once cast aside, arrayed
+in yellow and red, leads the van, as she has at every wedding for twenty
+years. Following her come three musicians; Pedro, in the center, his
+gray, thin hair straggling over the collar of his well-brushed long
+black coat, with young Vicente and Arturo, the bridegroom's brothers,
+one on either side, accompanying Pedro's weird, thin-blooded strain with
+thrumming mandolins. Next come, by two and two, six little girls, pretty
+as angels, with little wild sunflowers in their glossy tresses, and
+carrying, with conscious pride, large bunches of red roses. And here are
+the bride and bridegroom, Ysabel Alvarado, the flower of San Gabriel,
+and Ramon Enriquez, to whose proud, dark face hers is often lifted with
+happy smiles at the words of admiration and friendly wishes that reach
+their ears.
+
+Now, Juan, ring your loudest, and no one will complain: Muy querida, muy
+querida . . .
+
+
+It is the big bell, only, of the Mission, that is ringing now, the
+one in the top embrasure of the arched campanario. It rings steady
+and clear, as Gregorio always makes it, but slowly, and the sound that
+trembles heavily out upon the heat-laden air settles down upon the
+village like a noonday shadow. Again there are people gathered for a
+simple procession, and horses are tied to the posts along the street.
+But this time it is not at old Marta's house that the people are,
+gathered, but at the new, white cottage that Ramon Enriquez built,
+a year ago, for his bride. Juan, merry and mischievous as a blue jay
+generally, is sober as he hovers on the outskirts of the little group
+of people. Again the six little girls are waiting, two and two, but
+they carry white flowers, lilies, roses, and jessamine. Presently Marta
+appears, a creeping, somber figure, black from head to foot.
+
+The straggling group moves up the street, old Marta at the head, talking
+to herself, and shaking her head. As they near the Mission the great
+door opens, and the Padre comes out, followed by four young men, who
+carry--alas! my heart tells me what they carry--the brightness and
+lightness of the face and form of Ysabel Enriquez: and there lies upon
+her breast a tiny baby form. Alas! muy querida! Ramon walks behind, and
+looks neither to right nor left, as they take their place at the head of
+the little procession. And so they go, up the white, dusty road, to the
+campo santo.
+
+Muy querida, muy querida, says the great bell: slower and slower, muy
+querida, muy . . . and so, ceases.
+
+
+The sun was going down, its warm light dying away up the ancient wall.
+Far away sounded the faint thrumming of the mandolin in the cottage
+across the road: the three Mexicans were still silently gambling.
+
+Yes, it is a desolate little spot, the campo santo of San Gabriel[1].
+
+[1] The foregoing sketch was written some short time ago, before
+certain renovations were made about the cemetery which have changed the
+"atmosphere" of the place. I confess to an unreasonable wish that God's
+Acre might have been spared by the industrious hand of the whitewasher,
+when the zeal for "cleaning up" seized upon the village fathers of San
+Gabriel.
+
+
+
+
+SAN FERNANDO--THE BURIED TREASURE OF SIM
+
+
+
+The idea of finding buried treasure has always exercised what seems
+to me an unreasonable charm over people's minds: unreasonable, not, of
+course, that there would not be charm in finding it, but because of the
+disparity between the amount of attention that has been spent on the
+quest and the real prospect, usually, of success. Treasure islands,
+treasure ships, treasure graves, and many other such possibilities
+have been many times exploited, both in fact and in story; so it is not
+surprising that the California Missions should also have had their vogue
+as a supposed Tom Tiddler's ground. And as a matter of fact, a good many
+of the buildings show plain traces of the ravages of pick and shovel,
+sometimes wielded boldly by parties of declared prospectors, but more
+often in secret by knights of the dark lantern.
+
+Why it should be supposed that riches were buried in these places is not
+clear; but somehow the idea seems to arise automatically in connection
+with old or ruined buildings. A recent writer remarks that "The foolish
+notion that the Fathers had unlimited wealth, nay, gold or silver mines,
+which they concealed, was common among the Mexicans of that day, and it
+exists among their descendants to the present time." So far as can be
+known, the seekers have never found anything of value. It seems, indeed,
+unlikely that the Fathers at any of the Missions ever could have amassed
+any sum of money that would be much worth secreting. Saving anything out
+of their meager stipend of four hundred dollars per year would have been
+out of the question, even if the sum had been paid in money, in full,
+and regularly, none of which desirable conditions seems to have been
+met; while as to hoarding from the proceeds of the industries carried on
+at the Missions, although the returns must have been large, the expense
+of caring for a family of a thousand or so Indians must have been
+proportionately heavy. And in addition there are to be reckoned the
+exactions of the provincial Government, which seems to have looked upon
+the Missions generally as a sort of providential and inexhaustible
+milch cow. So that the latest defender of the Padres, the learned Father
+Zephyrin Engelhardt, is probably justified in holding that their
+riches were all of unworldly metal, and consisted only in "their
+conscientiousness, industry, economy, and abstemiousness." Such
+intangible valuables, it may be remarked, if they could be recovered
+by delving, would certainly not have proved, in the estimation of the
+delvers, a satisfactory reward.
+
+The Mission of San Fernando, some twenty miles northwest of Los Angeles,
+has more than once been the scene of these unhopeful quests. The
+visitor, who might be curious concerning sundry excavations noticed in
+the foundations of the massive adobe walls, would be told by the old
+Mexican who acted as custodian of the ruin--it is hardly more than
+that--that they were made by "malos hombres, ladrones, que buscaban
+dinero"; and, with a shrug, "Tontos! no cogieron no mas que polvo, mucho
+polvo, mucho trabajo" (bad men, thieves, who were looking for money.
+Fools! they got nothing but dust, plenty of dust and plenty of work).
+And with a chuckle: old Tomas would lead the way up the next rickety
+stairway.
+
+Yet, one cannot tell. There may have been instances of treasure being
+buried about the Missions, on some emergency arising, since, in the
+times we are thinking of, the only means of safekeeping sums of money
+that were too large to be carried on the person was the secreting of
+them in the walls of buildings or in the ground. Be that as it may,
+perhaps the reader will have a better explanation of the facts of the
+following narrative than the one with which I conclude it.
+
+
+On the afternoon of a warm day of June, some twenty summers since, I was
+making my way from Los Angeles to the coast by way of the San Fernando
+Valley and the road that runs through the Simi Hills. It was yet the
+dawn of the automobile era, and direction signs did not then, as now,
+give the traveler on California roads the certainty of his route that he
+now enjoys; and I found myself, at late afternoon, in considerable doubt
+whether I had not mistaken my way, with the probability, if that were
+the case, of having to camp for the night in the open. My horse would
+not suffer, for there was forage in abundance, and water was not hard to
+find thus early in the summer; but it was annoying for myself, for I had
+but a scrap of food and no blankets. The road, well traveled at first,
+that I had been following for two hours past, had for some distance been
+showing signs of degenerating into a trail (in that inexplicable way
+that roads sometimes have), and now it seemed about to "peter out"
+finally on a hillside of yellowing grass. Yet I knew I had been making
+in the right direction, even if off my road, so I was loath to turn
+back. The road, or trail, probably led somewhere, and I decided to keep
+on as long as any track could be seen leading westerly.
+
+Two miles or so farther brought me to the end of all tokens of travel.
+The track had dwindled to less and less, and now had dropped to the
+bouldery bed of a canon stream, from which no woodcraft of mine, nor of
+my good trail-wise horse, could perceive that it made an exit. If the
+trail continued, it must follow the bed of the stream. At any rate,
+here was water, the first requisite for a camp; I decided to go on for a
+while, but to stick to the creek, for safety. Dismounting, I led Pancho
+forward by the bridle among the slippery boulders. The sun was well out
+of sight, and the chirping of crickets among the herbage announced that
+soon the evening shades would prevail. Evidently, camping was to be my
+portion, so I kept my eyes open for a good spot for the purpose. The
+canon appeared to widen out a little way ahead: there I should probably
+find good grazing for the horse (though not, I ruefully reflected, for
+myself). Arriving at the opening, I found, as I expected, grassy slopes
+rising from the creek, and resolved to make here my bivouac.
+
+Taking off saddle and bridle I turned Pancho loose to graze, while I
+gathered wood for afire. The dusk was soon enlivened by a crackling
+blaze, beside which I sat to eat a sandwich and a scrap of chocolate,
+reserving an equivalent banquet for the morning. Pancho munched away
+cheerfully, the stream tinkled and purred; the first star telegraphed
+its friendly signal down through the ether: to be lost in the Simi was
+not half bad.
+
+My supper (since it must be so called) over, and Pancho picketed for
+the night, I walked a short way up the canon in the gloaming. Some two
+hundred yards from camp, at a point where the stream made a turn, I
+stopped in sudden surprise at the sight of a light shining among a clump
+of small live-oaks near by to my right. "Well," I said to myself, "so I
+am on a trail, after all. Can there be a house here, too?" A few steps,
+and my question was answered, for I saw that the light shone through the
+open window of a little house of adobe. What should I do? My appearance
+at this lonely spot at night would cause so much surprise that I
+hesitated. But I was quite conscious that I had made an unduly light
+supper, and, moreover, that I was in the way of making no better a
+breakfast. Probably I could buy here a little food, and at any rate, I
+could get information as to my road: so I approached the house. There
+was an attempt at a garden, I saw, and growing against the window was
+a bush of the red-flowered sage which I have noted as being a general
+favorite with Mexicans. As I came up to the door I heard voices, and
+caught a glimpse through the window of a woman sitting at a rough table,
+eating. At the same moment a dog within the room started up and barked
+loudly. It seemed to be my cue to speak as well as knock, so, acting
+on a vague assumption that the people were Mexicans, I called, "Buenas
+noches!"
+
+The talking ceased abruptly, and with it the music of knife and fork on
+crockery. I knocked and called again, "Buenas noches!" A chair moved,
+and a man's voice said, "Abajo, perro!" whereupon the bark was exchanged
+for an equally uncomfortable growling. Then the door was thrown open,
+and a man, standing in the doorway, asked in Spanish, "Who is there?" In
+a few words I explained my presence, adding that I was short of food and
+should be glad to purchase a little. "Enter, senor," he invited, and, as
+I did so, "Carlota," he said to one of two well-grown girls who sat by
+the woman, "Carlota, give your seat to the caballero." The woman had
+risen already, and in a matter-of-fact way was putting a plate and cup,
+evidently for me. My first impulse was to explain that I had had my
+supper; but I have always found frank acceptance to be the best reply to
+the frank hospitality of these courteous people, and with an expression
+of thanks I took the offered place and was ready to share their meal.
+
+I now had an opportunity to notice my entertainers. The man was a
+strongly built, good-looking, middle-aged Mexican; the wife (as I
+took her to be) placid-looking, kindly-featured, and of the national
+middle-aged stoutness. The two children were slender, attractive girls,
+verging on the early womanhood of their race. I think they were twins.
+This, I supposed, comprised the household, until, my glance following
+the wife as she went to the stove, I saw another person. A man,
+apparently deformed, sat by the fire, bent forward, his hands resting
+on a stick. But doubled over as he was, his eyes, black and piercing,
+followed every movement made by any of us. My host, by whom I sat, said
+in a low voice, "He is my brother, senor: he is very ill." I was on
+the point of making some remark of condolence when he added, "He cannot
+speak, senor: he is dumb." Feeling that it would be best not to refer
+to the matter, and to turn the conversation, I inquired as to the road
+I had missed, and whether I could get through to the coast without
+returning. This I learned I could do, my host promising to put me in the
+way in the morning.
+
+Just as supper, which proved to be a cheerful meal, was over, the
+invalid in the corner, rapping with his cane on the floor, gave notice
+that he needed attention. Carlota went quickly to him and helped him
+to rise, and then led him, slowly and with no little trouble, into
+an adjoining room. As he shuffled past where I sat, my eye caught the
+glitter of some object of metal that swung by a cord from his neck, in
+the fashion of a medal. This I later decided it to be, when I noticed
+what seemed to be an exactly similar object on a little shelf or
+bracket, fixed to the wall, on which stood a small figure of the Virgin.
+The woman now rising to clear the table, I rose also, and, thanking my
+kind entertainers for their hospitality, asked what I owed them, saying
+also that I should be glad to buy a little food of them before leaving
+in the morning. They would accept no money for the meal, however, and I
+forbore to press them. As I took my hat to go, my host asked, "Will you
+not sit a while by the fire? It is yet early, and it is cold outside." I
+gladly assented, and, offering him my pouch, a friendly smoke began.
+
+The seats at the table were heavy benches, not easily moved, but in the
+corner by the stove, where the sick man had sat, I saw a dark, box-like
+object which would serve for a chair. I was about to seat myself on
+this when my host (whose name, I learned, was Leandro Rojas) hastily
+interfered. "Not on that, senor," he said: "it would be bad fortune,
+very bad fortune," at the same time pulling one of the benches forward.
+On this we both sat, and chatted, somewhat haltingly on my part, for my
+Spanish was no more fluent than his English. I was curious about that
+bad-omened seat in the corner, especially as I felt pretty, sure it was
+on that that the invalid had been sitting: but, not wishing to violate
+my friend's superstitions, I refrained from alluding to the matter. My
+gaze, however, often reverted to the puzzling object, which in the dim
+light appeared to be a small but solid chest of some dark wood, heavily
+clamped with iron bands, and, I thought, having something carved on
+the lid. I suppose senor Rojas noticed me looking at the chest with
+interest, and when, in the course of conversation, I asked whether his
+brother had long been ill, he replied, "Yes, senor, many years; but my
+wife does not like it talked of: it is ill fortune to talk of bad luck,
+she says. And the box is bad fortune, that is certain. I wish it were
+not here. But I will tell you about it when we go out of the house."
+
+I spent with them a pleasant hour, finding topics of mutual
+interest--among them the perennial one of rattlesnakes, of which I had
+found the region unduly prolific, and the need of schooling for the
+children, who, though attractive and well-mannered, had never made the
+acquaintance of even slate and pencil. On bidding them good-night, I
+asked whether I might breakfast with them (on the strict understanding
+of payment for the meal), and was glad when they willingly agreed.
+
+When I left the house, Leandro said he would walk with me to my camp,
+and I took the opportunity of asking about the chest. "I will tell you,
+senor," he said, "though it is bad fortune, and I wish I had never seen
+it. See what it has done to my brother!" "Was it the box that hurt your
+brother?" I asked. "How? did it fall on him?" "Oh, no, senor, nothing
+like that," he replied. "It was his horse that hurt him; but all the
+same it was the box that did it. My wife says so, and I say so, too.
+Pedro, I do not know what he thinks, but then, he is as you see. This is
+how it happened, senor.
+
+"It was many years ago, yes, nearly twenty years. We were both young
+then, and we worked on the Escorpion, for Don Guillermo. My father used
+to work for him too: he was a foreman on the ranch: and when Pedro and I
+were old enough to ride after the cattle he made us vaqueros. Pedro was
+strong in those days, yes, stronger than I am now, and quite tall. There
+was no one who could ride like Pedro on the Escorpion. To see him now!
+ay de mi! Well, senor, one day some steers were missing, twelve or
+fifteen or more, and my father sent us, Pedro and me, to find them and
+bring them in. We hunted for them one day, two days, and could not find
+them. The range was getting poor on the Escorpion, but it was still good
+in the hills, and my father said the cattle must have gone up to the
+Sim'. So the next morning we started toward the Sim', and it was not
+long before we found their tracks, coming toward the hills. We followed
+them all that day, and nearly at night we found them. It was in a little
+valley that is quite near here: you will go through it to-morrow, senor.
+
+"We had brought food with us, for we knew we might be more than one day
+out, and when we had found the cattle we looked for a place to camp. We
+headed the steers down the creek, and came out into this canon. And here
+we saw the house, the same house, senor: so you see it is quite old, but
+it was old then, too. We were surprised, for we did not know there was a
+house there at all, and we had been born at San Fernando, and we thought
+we knew everybody that lived this way as far as Ventura. It was nearly
+dark, and there was no light in the house nor anybody about, though the
+house did not look quite as if no one lived there. We should have liked
+to use it to sleep in, but we thought some one must live there, and
+might come in, so we made a camp on the creek. Just about here, where
+your camp is, is where we slept.
+
+"In the morning, after we had eaten, Pedro said he was going to look
+inside the house. I was saddling the horses and did not go with him.
+In a few minutes I heard him call, so I went to the house. Pedro was
+standing at the door, and he looked white and frightened. 'There are
+dead people here,' he said: 'they are all dead.' He went in and I went
+in after him. In the back room there was a bad sight, a very bad sight,
+senor: a lot of bones lying all about the room, and there were three
+skulls among them. In the middle of the room was that box you saw, with
+the lid open. There was a big bone, like a leg bone, lying right across
+it, I remember. Zape! a bad sight that was.
+
+"It must have been a long time since they had died, months, perhaps
+years, two or three, from the look of the place and the bones. The
+coyotes had been in, and nothing but the bones and some bits of clothing
+was left. They had all been men, at least I think so, because there were
+no women's clothes. In the box there were pieces of money, twenty or
+thirty, or perhaps more. I did not like to touch it, with the dead men
+all about there: but Pedro, he was always one who cared for nothing. He
+said it was lucky to find them: the money wasn't dead, he said, and he
+laughed at me. He picked up one of the coins: it was a silver peso of
+Spain, very old. Was it not strange, senor? All the money was the same,
+all pesos and all old. I. have never seen any more like them."
+
+"Well, Pedro said we ought to take the money. The dead men could not
+spend it, he said, so it was foolish to leave it. But I would not touch
+it, not one piece. I wanted to burn the bones, and at last Pedro helped
+me. We picked them all up, the skulls and all. Diantre! it was bad work!
+I wanted to put them in the box, and burn all together, and bury the
+money. But Pedro would not: he wanted the money, and he said he would
+have the box too. So instead of burning them, we buried them, that is,
+the bones. We found an old spade, and dug a place behind the house,
+among the sycamores on the hill--you will see to-morrow--and buried
+them.
+
+"Then we had to go to take the cattle back to the ranch. Pedro would
+take the money: he put it in his clothes. It was quite heavy, and you
+could hear it, so he put some in his shoes and in other places. I asked
+him what he would do with the box, because he would not burn it. He said
+he wanted it because it had been good luck to find it: he would get it
+someday and keep it. Then we went away with the cattle. Pedro said we
+should not tell anybody about what we had found, nor about the dead
+people; and there was no one to tell, I mean the officers, unless we
+went to Los Angeles. So I did not say anything, and Pedro did not,
+because he had taken the money."
+
+"It was not long before he had used it up. I don't know where he spent
+it, for there was no money like it, and people would ask where he got
+it: but somehow he spent it, all but two pesos. Then one day he asked
+me to come with him to the place again: he wanted to see if the box was
+there, and if anybody lived in the house. I did not want to see the box,
+but I wanted to know if any one lived there, so I came with him. It was
+about a year after we had found the dead men and the money. It was
+a Sunday, and we got to the place about noon, for we started early.
+Everything was like we had left it, and it did not look as if any one
+had been to the house. The box was there, and it was open; and then I
+noticed that there was some writing on a piece of paper inside the
+lid. It must have been there when we saw the box before, but we had not
+noticed it. It was very old and yellow, and torn, too, and we could not
+read it. They did not seem like Spanish words. We stayed an hour, maybe,
+and then I said we should go, so as to get back before night. Then Pedro
+said to me, why shouldn't we come and live here in the house. We each
+had a few head of cattle of our own by that time, nearly twenty all
+together, and the range here was very good. He was tired of working on
+the Escorpion, he said. The place didn't belong to anybody, as far as
+we could tell, and we could make a good home here and do well with our
+cattle.
+
+"I forgot to say that I had got married a little time before, and I
+said my wife would not come so far away from her people. They lived
+at Calabasas. I didn't like the idea of living in that house, though
+I liked the land and wanted to have a place of my own, now that I was
+married. So we were talking about it when we got on our horses to ride
+back. We rode past the sycamore trees, where we had buried the bones of
+the dead men. Just when we passed the place, my brother's horse jumped
+at something, and threw him off. He fell against a sharp rock that hurt
+him in the back. He was quite still, and I thought he was dead. For a
+long time he did not move, but I could see he was breathing. I got water
+and threw it on him many times, and at last he opened his eyes. But he
+could not move, senor, nor speak either: the rock had hurt his backbone,
+and his legs were like dead. He was a paral'tico, and he has never been
+able to move, any more than you saw him move, nor talk either.
+
+"I did not know what to do. It was many miles to the ranch, and there
+was no one that lived anywhere nearer. My brother was in much pain, so
+I could not put him on his horse: I was afraid of hurting him more. He
+could not talk, but he pointed at the house, for me to take him there.
+There was nothing else to do, and at last I got him there. Then I said
+I must go and get help to take him away, but he shook his head and
+would not let me go. I think he thought he might as well die there as
+anywhere, and he was half dead anyway. But I had to go to get food, and
+I thought I could bring a doctor also. I left him some water, and got
+on my horse and rode--cielo, how I rode!--for I thought he might be dead
+when I got back. It was dark most of the way, and it was midnight when
+I got to the ranch. I got help, and sent for a doctor to come from Los
+Angeles. My wife--she is a good woman, my wife, Elena, senor--she said
+she would come with me to nurse Pedro if he could not be brought away.
+We were back at the house the next day early, two cousins of mine and my
+wife and myself. Pedro was lying where I had left him, but he was out of
+his head. Whenever he saw the box he would try to get up and go to it,
+so I put it where he could not see it. I had never told my wife about
+the box and the money: I thought it would only do harm to talk about it.
+
+"The doctor came the next day. He said Pedro would never be able to
+walk; he might be able to speak after a while; but he never has. The
+doctor told us he ought not to be moved for a long while. And so we
+stayed, senor, and we have never gone away. Don Guillermo was very good:
+I think God makes people good to one when one is in trouble, is it not
+so, senor? He gave me ten more cattle; two of them were good milch
+cows. That made thirty head we had all together. And he sent us a lot of
+flour, and coffee and frijoles; and then he found who owned the land the
+house was on: it was an American, who lived in San Francisco and never
+came here at all; and Don Guillermo told him about my brother getting
+hurt, and he promised that we could have the house and the grazing for
+nothing for three years, and then pay a little when we could. After
+about ten years I bought the place, about fifty acres, and now it is my
+own."
+
+"So it was bad fortune the box brought us, as I said, senor, but good
+fortune, too. Did you see what my brother has round his neck, senor? It
+is one of the pesos. He had two of them left when he was hurt: he had
+always said he would keep those two for more luck, as he called it. One
+day, after he was hurt, I saw him making a hole in one of them, and he
+hung it round his neck. He gave me the other. I did not want to take it,
+so I put it on the shelf for Our Lady. You can see it in the morning,
+and you can see the box, too. My wife would like to burn it, and so
+would I, but Pedro will not let us, and he always sits on it. There
+is carving on it, an 'F' and a 'Y,' I think, and there is the writing
+inside, though much of it is gone now. Perhaps you can tell what the
+writing says: I should like to know, if there is enough left to tell
+by."
+
+"Well, it is late, and Elena will be going to bed. I am sorry that we
+have no room for you to sleep in, senor, but the house is small, and we
+are so many women and sick. Buenas noches, senor."
+
+I was much interested in the strange story I had heard, and lay for some
+time awake, trying to fit a working theory to the black chest and the
+Spanish dollars, but with no success. It was a puzzle that was worth a
+good deal of trouble to unlock if it could be done, and I was eager for
+daylight, to get a good view of the box. Probably the invalid would
+not be up so early as the rest of the family, who had breakfast, I had
+learned, at six o'clock. I was prompt upon the hour, and while waiting
+a few minutes before the meal was ready, I examined the silver piece and
+the chest. The coin was a large one, Spanish, as my host had said, and
+bore the inscription of Carlos III, with the date 1787, and the arms
+of Castile and Le-n. The box I examined with special attention. It was
+exceedingly heavy for its size, which was about thirty inches long by
+fourteen wide and ten deep, and was made of the dark, hard wood of some
+tropical tree that had withstood decay wonderfully. On the upper side
+of the lid were cut the letters "F Y" in plain, deep carving, encircled
+with an elaborate scroll, this somewhat defaced and broken in
+outline. Three heavy strips of iron were fastened round the shorter
+circumference, one near each end of the box and one at the middle. At
+the ends were strong wrought-iron handles, and there was a curious lock,
+also of wrought-iron. I opened the lid, and there, as Leandro had said,
+were the remains of a sheet of parchment, vellum, or heavy hand-made
+paper, which had been glued to the wood, but the greater part of which
+was torn or worn away. It was evident that the writing was too much
+defaced to allow of more than a mere guess at its purport, but by the
+not very good light I copied what I could decipher of the inscription.
+This is what I made out:--
+
+  hac ar   osit    unt num    tria mi   et qu    enti qui
+  pert    anc Mi         Sanc            in cujus fini
+  utelam ob lat        hoc lito   atis com
+  arca absco   a est.
+  rra.
+
+  Oc 1824
+
+I had hardly finished my transcription when my hostess entered saying
+that breakfast was ready in the kitchen: so no attempt at working out
+the puzzle could be made at the time. Pedro's food was taken to him by
+Carlota, and he did not appear before I left. During the pleasant meal,
+I looked with added respect at the woman whose goodness of heart had led
+her willingly to undertake, and to carry day by day for many years, the
+burden of a hopeless, and I fear an ungrateful, invalid (though, indeed,
+from my experience of the kindliness, and especially the strength of the
+family bond among the Mexican people, I might well have been prepared
+for such magnanimity).
+
+Soon after breakfast I bade them farewell, Leandro accompanying me a
+short distance to show me my road. When we came to part, no further word
+had been said regarding Pedro or the mysterious chest. I said nothing,
+for I had no theory to offer. When we shook hands, after thanking him
+heartily I remarked that I hoped we might meet again, adding, as an
+afterthought, "and in a luckier house." "Yes, senor," he said, "but it
+is not the house that is unlucky: Our Lady attends to that. It was the
+money, and, you see," with a smile--"I gave her the half of what was
+left. Do you know, senor, sometimes I think the money was stolen from
+the Church. That would account for all, is it not so? They say the
+churches had much money once. Quien sabe? Adios senor."
+
+As I turned Pancho into the trail that would bring me to the Ventura
+road, my mind was busy at a clue that Leandro's parting words had
+started. "F Y," the letters carved on the chest--somehow they seemed
+to link up with something in my memory. Who was that Padre of whom
+Robinson, in his "Life in California," spoke with a good deal of
+disparagement? The surname initial was surely a "Y," and it seemed to
+me that San Fernando was the Mission where the depreciated Father dwelt.
+Yorba, Ybarronda, Ybaez, Ybarra--yes, that was it: Ybarra, sure enough,
+and the first name was Francisco, it seemed to me; and I felt sure
+now that it was at San Fernando that Robinson encountered him. All
+circumstantial evidence, no doubt, but highly interesting. To try
+another link--did the scraps of writing give any support to my idea?
+I took out my notebook: unmistakably there were the letters "rra"
+remaining where naturally the signature would be written. All the rest
+of the name was gone except a fragment of rubric, but that embellishment
+again made it plain that the letters were part of a name.
+
+With that I had to be satisfied, both then and now. Matters of more
+personal importance soon pushed the problem into the back of my mind.
+Once, indeed, chancing on a copy of the torn inscription, I spent an
+idle hour in trying to fashion the oddments into a possible connected
+whole. In case the reader should be interested in such exercises, I will
+give my tentative solution.
+
+I take the writing, as far as the signature, to have been in Latin,
+and this is my guesswork rendering: the reader may perhaps improve upon
+it:--
+
+In hac arca depositi sunt nummi tria millia et quingenti qui pertinent
+ad hanc Missionem de Sancto Fernando, in cujus finibus ad cautelam ob
+latrocinia hoc litore a piratis commissa haec arca abscondita est.
+
+Francisco Ybarra.
+
+Oct. 1824.
+
+My chain of guesses, then, is that the old chest that I saw in that
+house in the Sim' Hills may have once been the personal property of
+Fray Francisco Ybarra, sometime priest in charge of the Mission of San
+Fernando. That he, on the approach of some marauders, buried the chest,
+with the stated sum of money in silver pesos of Carlos III, in some
+hiding-place about the Mission precincts. That for some unguessable
+reason the chest was never taken up by the priest or his successors; but
+that long years afterwards, probably not less than fifty, some party of
+treasure-seekers (of whom there are evidences of there having been many
+at that Mission) came upon the buried chest. That it was transported by
+them to the lonely house in the mountains, some twenty miles distant.
+That there, a quarrel occurred over the booty, and that the survivor
+or survivors of the fatal affray, if any there were, did not, for some
+reason, carry off in their flight all the treasure. The rest of my
+theory is embodied in the foregoing narrative.
+
+But after all, as to the whole matter, probably there is little to be
+said that is more to the point than the all-embracing phrase of Leandro,
+and of Spain and Mexico in general--Quien sabe? Who knows?
+
+
+
+
+SANTA BARBARA--LOVE IN THE PADRE'S GARDEN
+
+
+It was five years since I had seen my old chum, Dick Trevgern, back
+in Boston, while Mrs. Trevgern I had never seen at all. So when, last
+winter, I found myself at Santa Barbara, where they lived, one of the
+first things I did was to trace them in the telephone book and call up
+Dick. The result was an urgent invitation to dinner that evening. I was
+quite keen to meet my friend's wife, and all the more so, since Dick,
+who is one of the finest fellows in the world, is, or used to be, also
+one of the oldest-fashioned, and had seemed to be destined for bachelor
+joys; so I wondered what could be the special charms that had subjugated
+him.
+
+I found them as cozy as a married couple of two years' standing has a
+right to be, in a rose-embowered cottage on one of the hill streets near
+the Mission. Mrs. Trevgern I found to be a very pretty, vivacious, and
+in every way attractive girl,--she was only twenty,--and as they were
+evidently very fond of each other I rejoiced at Dick's good sense and
+good fortune. It was a very jolly little dinner, and altogether as
+pleasant an evening as I have ever passed. At some indirect reference to
+the topic (it is hard to find a name for it that is agreeable to every
+one, but I will use a well-worn phrase) the emancipated woman, I had
+an opportunity of seeing that the lady clearly was of the affirmative
+party, whereas I knew, from recollection of old times, and anyway
+because Dick was Dick, that his view on the question was a decided No.
+This raised an interesting little speculation in my mind, and when,
+about eleven o'clock, Mrs. Trevgern declared that she was going to leave
+us two together for a good confabulation over old days, and retired for
+the night, I made some half-joking reference to the matter, and asked
+Dick how it happened that he, of all men, had chosen a wife out of the
+emancipation camp.
+
+"Oh, well," he replied, "she is a dear good girl"--I hastened to say
+that I was sure of it--"and we have lots of fun out of our different
+ideas on little things like that. The odd thing is, though, that it
+was Kitty's fad for woman's rights and that sort of thing that is
+responsible for her being Mrs. Trevgern--I mean, that was what you might
+call the exciting cause. Pull your chair up to the fire and I'll tell
+you all about it. It was really quite a joke."
+
+"No doubt it will be news to you that I used to know Kitty years ago,
+before either you or I came to California. All the time that you fellows
+were ragging me about being an old bachelor, I knew my own mind and
+meant to marry Kitty some day. I don't think you knew her people, the
+Draytons. They lived down at Quincy, close to us, and our families were
+old friends. At the time that I got this appointment out here she was
+only sixteen, but before I came away from Boston I told her I loved her,
+and that when I had got on my feet I was going to ask her to marry me.
+I didn't want her to promise then, for it didn't seem square to ask her;
+but I had a pretty good idea that she liked me, and I figured that in
+two or three years I could be so placed that I might fairly ask her,
+and, as young as she was, she would hardly have fallen in love with any
+one else. After I came to California I wrote to her now and then, not
+often, and no spooning, you know, but just to keep myself in her mind;
+and she answered with good, sensible, newsy letters."
+
+"She was always a particularly bright girl, with a good idea of what
+was going on in the world and a mind of her own about it. In one of
+her letters she said she had been going to a set of lectures by some
+confounded Englishwoman, on The Woman of To-morrow, or the Day after
+To-morrow, or something, and asked me what I thought about what she
+called Woman's Awakening. I dare say you remember how we used to argue
+all that stuff in our old Debating Club--didn't we just!--and how I
+always got sat upon for being a back number and not lining up with the
+hatchet brigade? Well, I hadn't changed my mind--haven't yet, for that
+matter--but I didn't suppose she cared two hairpins about it, and I
+replied with some old joke or other, and let it go. From other letters,
+though, I soon saw that Kitty had got really keen on the suffrage
+business, and that she knew I was a heretic: but we both had sense
+enough not to let the subject get on the argumentative line."
+
+"It ran on that way until two years ago, and then her people came to
+spend the winter in California. In the early spring they came up to
+Santa Barbara, and I saw Kitty again. I hadn't weakened at all in my
+loving her, and she was prettier than ever--almost as pretty as she is
+now, bless her.--Yes, I knew you'd think so, old man.--By that time I
+was doing quite well, and prospects were good enough so that I felt I
+could ask her to marry me. One day, on a drive round by Montecito, I
+asked her. She wouldn't promise: said she liked me as much as ever, and
+didn't care about any one else, but didn't think she ought to marry me,
+and so on. I couldn't get her to say why for a long time, but at last
+it came out. Some one, that idiotic Englishwoman, I suppose, had put it
+into the dear girl's head that it was her duty not to ally herself with
+'a reactionary' (I think that was the word) and in this case that meant
+poor harmless me. I argued till I must have been blue in the face, but
+I couldn't get her to give in: she says now that she thought she would
+make me give in. And so it had to stay, but my consolation was that I
+knew she really cared for me. It was just head against heart, and though
+I knew, as I said, that Kitty's head was as good as anybody's, I thought
+her heart was better yet. I told her, though, that I shouldn't let it
+rest like that for long."
+
+"A day or two later I had an engagement to go up with them to look
+at the Mission. One of the Fathers showed us through, a dozen or
+more people altogether, regular tourist style, and we had seen about
+everything there was, when some one asked if we couldn't go into the
+sacred garden. You know what I mean? There's a private garden that
+most people don't get to see, and which, as the story goes, no woman
+is allowed to enter. The priest said he was sorry, but it was only by
+special permission that any visitor saw that garden and that permission
+was never given for ladies to see it. Kitty pricked up her ears at
+that."
+
+"'Do you mean to say,' she said to me, as we walked on, 'that there is
+a part of the Mission where men may go and women mustn't?' 'I don't mean
+to say so,' I told her, but the Padre here does, and I'm afraid that
+settles it.' 'Indeed, it doesn't,' she said. 'What does he mean? Is
+there something horrid there that is not nice for women to see?' 'No,'
+I replied; 'it's nice enough, just a garden. They call it sacred, but
+I don't know why.' 'Oh, I see,' remarked Kitty, 'sacred from women, no
+doubt. That's just like these monks: they think this is the Middle Ages
+still. I suppose you think so too. You may go anywhere, because you are
+a man, but a woman is to be shut out of this and that--they're sacred!'
+I could see she was pretty much excited, and I tried to calm her down.
+'Now, Kitty,' I said, 'you know very well that as far as I'm concerned
+there's nothing on earth that I want so much as for you and me to be
+together always and everywhere. Let them keep their old garden: anyway,
+if it's too sacred for you it would certainly kill me on the spot.'
+'It's all very well to make fun,' she returned, 'but it's the principle
+that has to be fought. It's absurd, it's--it's mediaeval! And you're
+mediaeval too,' she wound up. 'Well,' I said, 'I always knew I was a bit
+old-fashioned, but I was never called a regular antique before.' That
+made her laugh, and we forgot all about the old garden till we got back
+to the house."
+
+"At least, I thought she had forgotten, but when I said good-bye she
+came with me to the door, and said, 'Dick, I'm going to see that garden
+at the Mission. It isn't that I care about the garden, but I do care
+about the principle. I'm going to get in somehow, and I want to know,
+will you help me?' 'My dear Kitty,' I answered, 'I'm your man: at least
+you know I want to be. The only thing is, how do you mean to do it?'
+'That's for you to arrange,' she said. 'You men think you can do things
+better than women, so here's a chance to show what you can do.' 'Well,'
+I remarked, 'it looks like a burglar's job, and I've not done much in
+that line: but you know what I said, that I want to go everywhere you
+go, and if that means jail, I'm game.' She looked a bit serious when I
+talked about jail, for she thought I was in earnest: but she didn't back
+down, and I said I would see what plan I could think up."
+
+"I easily found out whereabout the garden was, and the only way I could
+see to get Kitty in there was by climbing over the wall some evening
+after dark. It was an adobe wall, and not very high. I could easily get
+over it myself, but for Kitty we ought to have a ladder. There was a
+bright little Mexican chap I knew, whom I had met one day up by the
+Mission. He lived near there, and one day I had seen him haunting about
+and got him to pose in a picture. After that we'd had chats now and
+then. It occurred to me that Julio could find a short ladder and
+bring it to the place: and I had an idea--old-fashioned, you see, as
+usual--that he would make a kind of chaperon, too, to save a little bit
+of the respectabilities. I told Kitty my plan, and she thought it was
+all right, jumped at it, in fact; so we set the time for two days after
+the next full moon. We figured that as it was sundown soon after five
+o'clock, we could do our wall-climbing when it got dark, say about half
+past six, before the moon came up. It would rise about seven, and we
+should have plenty of light to investigate the garden. Kitty did pretty
+much as she liked at home, as regards being in or out, so all she
+would need to tell her people was that she was going to be with me that
+evening."
+
+"Well, I arranged it with Julio. He was a mischievous little rascal, and
+it looked like a good joke to him; and a couple of dollars was good pay
+for a joke. When the evening came, I called for Kitty about six o'clock.
+I had told her to dress in some kind of color that would not show too
+much by moonlight, so she had on a big gray cloak of her mother's that
+covered her all up. It had a hood, too, so she didn't need a hat. For
+fun I had drawn a large placard, with 'Votes for Women' on it in big
+letters. I meant to tack it to a tree or something if I got a chance,
+but Kitty didn't know anything about this."
+
+"When we got to the place, Julio was there with his ladder. It is very
+quiet round there at night, and there was not much danger of any one
+coming past. I got up first on the wall to make sure the coast was
+clear. There were lights shining from two or three windows, but no one
+was moving, so I beckoned Kitty to come, and she climbed up and sat on
+the wall while Julio came up. Then I quietly pulled up the ladder and
+lowered it on the garden side. I went down first, and then Kitty. She
+was a bit excited, I could see, but as game as ever. I had told Julio to
+wait up on the wall by the ladder till we came back."
+
+"It was about seven o'clock and nearly moonrise when we started on our
+tour. I took Kitty's hand. She was rather trembly, but she said she
+meant to see everything there was in this precious garden. I did, too,
+now we were in. We went along a path by the wall and found a seat. There
+was no reason for hurrying, so we sat down to wait till the moon was
+up. It was certainly pretty especially with Kitty there; there were tall
+black cypresses, and climbing roses, and orange trees just coming into
+bloom; and when the moonlight touched the old belfries, and there came
+the murmuring sound of chanting from some place within the Mission,
+Kitty whispered to me that the garden really was almost sacred, and I
+quite agreed with her."
+
+"After a few minutes we went on. The garden is laid out in beds of
+shrubs and flowers, with winding walks between. We kept in the shade as
+much as we could, as there were several windows that look on the garden,
+and some one might see us if we made ourselves conspicuous. But there
+were lots of trees, and we skirmished about from one to another and had
+no end of a good time. Kitty was enjoying it immensely, and it did seem
+a pretty good joke to be dodging about in the old garden right under
+their noses, for we could see them now and then through the windows. We
+were standing under a big cypress that had been trimmed up to ten feet
+or so above the ground, when I remembered my placard. I unfolded it
+and showed it to Kitty, and then fixed it on the tree with thumb-tacks.
+Kitty was dancing about with joy at the placard, and almost clapping her
+hands, but I made her stop for fear some one would hear her."
+
+"We had nearly been all round the garden, taking it easily, and sitting
+down now and then. We were laughing and joking under our breath, and I
+was thinking that this would be a good place to propose to her
+again; rather romantic, you know, to pop the question under those
+circumstances. It was getting time to clear out, but we sat down again
+for a few minutes before we went. Kitty threw the cloak off, and in her
+white dress and by the moonlight in that old garden, she looked--well,
+you can imagine--no, you can't, though, no one could who didn't see her.
+So I up and told her all I wanted to say. The darling took it like an
+angel, but just out of mischief--I know, for she has said so herself
+since then she hummed and hawed and began to talk about different points
+of view and stuff like that. Well, at that very moment, a door opened
+and a man, one of the priests, came out. We were sitting in the shadow,
+but the door was right opposite, and I suppose the bright light coming
+through the doorway shone on Kitty's white dress. Perhaps he heard us,
+too, for I guess we had forgotten about talking under our breath: I know
+I had. Anyhow, he spotted us. We saw him stop for a second and heard
+him say something to himself, and then he came right toward us. I saw
+we were in for it, so I caught Kitty by the hand and we ran. I heard the
+Father, or Brother or whatever they call themselves, coming after us: we
+could hear his skirts flapping about and I think he must have been a fat
+man from the way he puffed."
+
+"We were right at the other end of the garden from where the ladder was.
+Kitty is a good runner, and we had a good lead and were nearly there
+when suddenly Kitty almost stopped and exclaimed, in a horrified voice,
+'The cloak, Dick! we've left it behind, and it has mother's name on it!'
+Whew! that's a bad mess, I thought. It must be got, that was certain.
+'You run on,' I told her, 'and get up the ladder. Do you see it?'
+'Yes,' she said, 'but what about you?' 'I'm going back for the cloak,'
+I answered. 'You get up the ladder and wait for me. I'll stop him
+following you. Quick, Kitty, hurry up!' I watched her get to the ladder
+and then started back. I didn't know just where the priest was, as we
+had lost him somewhere among the trees, but I ran back, got the cloak,
+and started again cautiously for the ladder. When I was halfway there I
+caught sight of him staring at the placard. I can't understand to
+this day why he hadn't raised a racket. I think that placard must have
+hypnotized him. Well, he saw me and called to me to stop. As he was
+between me and the place where the ladder was, I saw I couldn't get past
+him, so I ran back to the other end of the garden again, and he came
+running after me. When he came to the door I saw him stop a moment and
+then go in, evidently to get help. That was my time. I sprinted back as
+fast as I could, for it was getting rather too interesting. Kitty was
+there all right, sitting on the wall, but I couldn't see Julio nor any
+ladder. 'Dick!' she called down to me, 'I've let the ladder drop down
+on the other side. Can you get up without it?' 'How on earth did you do
+that?' I asked. 'I was afraid that horrid monk might come along and see
+me, and take the ladder away to keep you from getting up,' Kitty said:
+'so I pulled it up after me, and then it slipped and went down the other
+side.' 'Never mind,' I replied, 'I can climb up: but where is Julio?' 'I
+haven't seen him,' she said: 'but never mind him, come along up.'"
+
+"I threw the cloak up to her, and then jumped at the wall to clamber up.
+I caught the top all right, but the rotten adobe bricks came away, and I
+tumbled down with half a dozen of them on top of me, and in falling, by
+the worst kind of luck, I sprained my foot. I tried to get up, but found
+I couldn't stand on the hurt foot. 'What's the matter, Dick?' asked
+Kitty. 'Sprained foot,' I said. 'I don't see how I'm going to climb up
+that wall now. I can't jump high enough with one foot, and the adobes
+would most likely come down again, anyhow. Confound that imp, Julio!
+he would have saved all this mess if he had done as I told him. I guess
+we're trapped, I am, anyway.'"
+
+"Every moment I expected to see the Mission people coming, and there
+was the chance of some one coming along the road, too, and finding Kitty
+playing Humpty-Dumpty. The poor little thing was nearly crying. 'Oh,
+Dick,' she said, 'does it hurt much? Oh, I know it must, and it's all my
+fault. What will they do to us, Dick?' 'Well,' I answered, 'they can't
+skin us and eat us, you know. I shouldn't mind about myself, only that
+it makes a fellow look like a fool. You ought to marry me now, Kitty,
+for no one else will,' I added, severely. 'Don't you think so?' 'Oh, I
+suppose so, Dick,' she said, half laughing and half crying, 'No one else
+will marry me, either, for that matter. I wonder you want to, after
+my getting you into this fix.' 'All right, darling,' I said: 'it's a
+bargain, mind. They have n't got us yet, anyhow,' I went on. 'Here they
+come, though,' as half a dozen petticoated figures issued from the door.
+I saw them go toward the other end of the garden, where I had last been
+seen, and begin searching about. 'Now, Kitty,' I told her, 'when they
+come this way you just let yourself down the other side as far as you
+can, and then drop. You are lighter than I, and I think the bricks will
+hold. Then run home as quickly as you can, and lie low.' 'Dick,' the
+little trump replied, indignantly, 'do you suppose I'm going to run away
+and let you stand the blame? Do you think I'm one of those putty kind of
+girls?' I tried to argue with her but--well, you know what suffragists
+are; she wouldn't budge. 'Dick,' she exclaimed at last, 'what am I
+thinking of? I can drop down, as you said, and get the ladder over to
+you.' I'd thought of that, of course, but I couldn't stand the idea
+of her falling and perhaps getting hurt. 'You mustn't do it, Kitty,'
+I declared. 'If you get hurt as well, we shall be in a worse hole than
+ever.' My mind was working like lightning, and suddenly I thought of
+the cloak. 'Kitty' I said, 'throw the cloak down to me.' It was a good
+old-fashioned cloak, with yards and yards of stuff in it. I twisted it
+into a sort of rope, and then stood up against the wall on my good foot
+and threw the end over as far as I could. 'How far does it reach?' I
+asked. 'Plenty far enough,' she answered. I didn't need to say any more.
+She took hold of it and let herself down, and I heard her drop to the
+ground. In another moment she was up on the wall and puffing the ladder
+after her. It made an awful row, and I saw some of the people stop and
+listen. It was touch and go then, I could see. Kitty lowered the ladder,
+and in half a jiffy I was up. As we were pulling the ladder up, they saw
+us and began to come on the run, but they were just about half a minute
+too late. I sent Kitty down and then scrambled down myself. Just then,
+along came that young scamp Julio, as innocent as you please. 'Take the
+ladder and run that way,' I ordered, 'and let it drag so as to make lots
+of noise.'"
+
+"Kitty was shaking all over, what with excitement and fright, and pity
+for my foot. We sat down against the wall and listened to the chaps
+inside calling us awful names in Spanish, Irish, German, and about
+everything else. My foot was pretty painful, and so swollen that I could
+hardly get my shoe off. Kitty produced a bandage from somewhere and
+bound the foot so as to keep it stiff, and then I got up and with the
+help of the wall and Kitty's arm I hobbled off with her in the opposite
+direction from that in which Julio had gone, while the sounds in the
+garden got fainter and fainter, showing that he was drawing the enemy's
+fire, as I expected."
+
+"Of course the thing got into the papers somehow, but luckily the names
+didn't, for Julio didn't get caught. And as you see, Kitty lived up to
+her bargain."
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Penance of Magdalena and Other
+Tales of the California Missions, by J. Smeaton Chase
+
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