After writing Alessandro's name, he turned to Ramona. "And the
woman's?" he said.
Alessandro looked at Ramona. In the chapel he had said simply,
"Majella." What name should he give more?
Without a second's hesitation, Ramona answered, "Majella.
Majella Phail is my name."
She pronounced the word "Phail," slowly. It was new to her. She
had never seen it written; as it lingered on her lips, the Father, to
whom also it was a new word, misunderstood it, took it to be in
two syllables, and so wrote it.
The last step was taken in the disappearance of Ramona. How
should any one, searching in after years, find any trace of Ramona
Ortegna, in the woman married under the name of "Majella
Fayeel"?
"No, no! Put up your money, son," said Father Gaspara, as
Alessandro began to undo the knots of the handkerchief in which
his gold was tied. "Put up your money. I'll take no money from a
Temecula Indian. I would the Church had money to give you.
Where are you going now?"
"To San Pasquale, Father."
"Ah! San Pasquale! The head man there has the old pueblo paper,"
said Father Gaspara.
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