"No, mother," came reluctantly from Felipe's lips. "I suppose not;
but --"
"I was sure my own son could make no other reply," interrupted
the Senora. She did not wish Felipe at present to do more than
reply to her questions. "Of course it would not be right for us to let
Ramona do anything which we would not let her do if she were
really of our own blood. That is the way I have always looked at
my obligation to her. My sister intended to rear her as her own
daughter. She had given her her own name. When my sister died,
she transferred to me all her right and responsibility in and for the
child. You do not suppose that if your aunt had lived, she would
have ever given her consent to her adopted daughter's marrying an
Indian, do you?"
Again the Senora paused for a reply, and again the reluctant Felipe
said, in a low tone, "No, I suppose she would not."
"Very well. Then that lays a double obligation on us. It is not only
that we are not to permit Ramona to do a thing which we would
consider disgraceful to one of our own blood; we are not to betray
the trust reposed in us by the only person who had a right to
control her, and who transferred that trust to us.
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