The Beautiful Eyes of Ysidria | Page 5

season after season, and shall
live until its duty is performed, then let it wither when it shall no longer
be needed here. Thou must come down and see me, Carlos," she
continued in an altered voice, "for I have some new flowers which thou
shalt have; come for I am lonely and like young company, though I be
a witch as they say. Where goest thou to-day?"
"Above on the divide where I hope to find some of the Indian pinks for
my new collection."
"When doest thou return, before sundown?" asked Madre Moreno as
she prepared to go.
"Before that, surely," I answered, "I shall be back here at the ruin by
four o'clock, though I had no idea that the time had gone so fast, it is
almost noon; I must hurry or I shall have Catalina very hot waiting with
a cold supper. By the way Madre, she sent her best respects to you and
hopes that you will not bewitch any more of her poultry, for if you do,
they will be a headless lot in a short time."

Madre Moreno nodded knowingly, and closed one eye slyly as she
answered, "Thou art the cleverest señorito in these parts, but little as
thou believest in my influence with el bueno Diablo, as the old women
call him, I could disclose to thee many strange events which shall come
after this day, and from this meeting thou shall date thy future." She
started but turned and said, "My son, I have learned to love thee, yet I
have a duty beyond love; say that thou believest that my sainted father
was unjustly treated, and thy life shall be blessed."
"I cannot, Madre Moreno, I am sorry for the sad result of the case at
court, but as you know, it was only justice."
She said no more, but with a laugh, half broken by a sigh, the little
woman walked briskly under the olives and down over the brow of the
hill.
The grass and trees were all wet, the great laurels by the path shown as
if varnished, the huge madroño leaves each held a jewel on its tip; all
evidences of a heavy rain were about me, yet I had not been aware of it
falling. In a short time I was deep in the redwood forest, away from the
world in companionship with God.

III.
It was nearly five o'clock when I approached the ruin on my return; the
sun was now low enough to throw long shadows over the place, and
made an effect of gloom which formed a good setting for the wall, with
its green drapery standing out shining and warm in a glorious flood of
golden sunshine.
As I sat down to enjoy the picture, I became aware of some one
walking behind the great clumps of nightshade, and presently a young
woman stepped from behind the atropa where Madre Moreno had that
morning been picking the poisonous leaves, and walked across the
hollow, stepping gracefully from stone to stone till she came to the
bright spot where the sun was shining, and seating herself at the foot of

the wall, opened a book and began to read aloud. Beautiful as the scene
had been before, it was now enhanced, and I did not stir, lest I should
dispel the lovely vision.
For fully half an hour I must have remained there before she became
aware of my presence; when she saw me, she started a little, but
regaining her composure quickly, closed her book, and rose to leave the
place. In crossing the hollow she stumbled and fell, uttering a sharp cry
of pain; I ran immediately to her assistance. Supporting the fainting girl,
I helped, or rather carried, her to the bank where I had been sitting. By
the time I reached the place, she had recovered consciousness, and in
answer to my inquiry said that her ankle had been sprained by the fall,
and that the pain was severe. As she spoke the tears came to her eyes,
and she gave a cry when she tried to rise.
"Do you live near here?" I asked, for she was a stranger to me, though I
knew all the people for many miles around.
"I should not call it far, under usual circumstances," she answered, "but
now it is a long way. I live with my aunt, Ambrosia Moreno. Oh, I can
never get there."
"You must bathe the ankle here; there is a pool, and the rock beside it
makes a good seat," and gently lifting her, I placed her beside the
stream, which ran clear and cold from under the broad leaves. Without
any show of false modesty, she did as I directed, and having saturated
my