Now they have
left me nothing;" and he groaned.
"Who?" cried Ramona. "Was there a battle? Was your father
killed?" She was trembling with horror.
"No," answered Alessandro. "There was no battle. There would
have been, if I had had my way; but my father implored me not to
resist. He said it would only make it worse for us in the end. The
sheriff, too, he begged me to let it all go on peaceably, and help
him keep the people quiet. He felt terribly to have to do it. It was
Mr. Rothsaker, from San Diego. We had often worked for him on
his ranch. He knew all about us. Don't you recollect, Senorita, I
told you about him,-- how fair he always was, and kind too? He
has the biggest wheat-ranch in Cajon; we've harvested miles and
miles of wheat for him. He said he would have rather died, almost,
than have had it to do; but if we resisted, he would have to order
his men to shoot. He had twenty men with him. They thought there
would be trouble; and well they might, -- turning a whole village
full of men and women and children out of their houses, and
driving them off like foxes.
Pages:
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378