Sighing deeply, Ramona
turned back to her work. But her heart was too disquieted. She
could not keep back the tears.
"How changed is Alessandro!" she thought. "It terrifies me to see
him thus. I will tell the Blessed Virgin about it;" and kneeling
before the shrine, she prayed fervently and long. She rose
comforted, and drawing the baby's cradle out into the veranda,
seated herself at her embroidery. Her skill with her needle had
proved a not inconsiderable source of income, her fine lace-work
being always taken by San Diego merchants, and at fairly good
prices.
It seemed to her only a short time that she had been sitting thus,
when, glancing up at the sun, she saw it was near noon; at the
same moment she saw Alessandro approaching, with the horses. In
dismay, she thought, "There is no dinner! He said he would not
come!" and springing up, was about to run to meet him, when she
observed that he was not alone. A short, thick-set man was
walking by his side; they were talking earnestly. It was a white
man. What did it bode? Presently they stopped.
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