Nothing could have
so clearly shown his enfeebled and benumbed condition, as the
manner in which he received these caresses, which once would
have made him beside himself with joy. He leaned against her
breast as a child might.
"He! He died only four days ago. I stayed to bury him, and then I
came away. I have been three days on the way; the horse, poor
beast, is almost weaker than I. The Americans took my horse,"
Alessandro said.
"Took your horse!" cried Ramona, aghast. "Is that the law, too?"
"So Mr. Rothsaker told me. He said the judge had said he must
take enough of our cattle and horses to pay all it had cost for the
suit up in San Francisco. They didn't reckon the cattle at what they
were worth, I thought; but they said cattle were selling very low
now. There were not enough in all the village to pay it, so we had
to make it up in horses; and they took mine. I was not there the day
they drove the cattle away, or I would have put a ball into Benito's
head before any American should ever have had him to ride. But I
was over in Pachanga with my father.
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