It is a beautiful name, Senorita, and is like
you."
Alessandro was still standing. Ramona rose; coming close to him,
she laid both her hands on his breast, and her head on her hands,
and said: "Alessandro, I have something to tell you. I am an Indian.
I belong to your people."
Alessandro's silence astonished her. "You are surprised," she said.
"I thought you would be glad."
"The gladness of it came to me long ago, my Senorita," he said. "I
knew it!"
"How?" cried Ramona. "And you never told me, Alessandro!"
"How could I?" he replied. "I dared not. Juan Canito, it was told
me."
"Juan Canito!" said Ramona, musingly. "How could he have
known?" Then in a few rapid words she told Alessandro all that
the Senora had told her. "Is that what Juan Can said?" she asked.
"All except the father's name," stammered Alessandro.
"Who did he say was my father?" she asked.
Alessandro was silent.
"It matters not," said Ramona. "He was wrong. The Senora, of
course, knew. He was a friend of hers, and of the Senora Ortegna,
to whom he gave me.
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