"
"Who was it stole that man's steer?" said Ramona. "Why did you
not tell them? They looked as if they would kill you."
"It was that Mexican that lives in the bottom, Jose Castro. I myself
came on him, cutting the steer up. He said it was his; but I knew
very well, by the way he spoke, he was lying. But why should I
tell? They think only Indians will steal cattle. I can tell them, the
Mexicans steal more."
"I told them there was not an Indian in this village would steal
cattle," said Ramona, indignantly.
"That was not true, Majella," replied Alessandro, sadly. "When
they are very hungry, they will steal a heifer or steer. They lose
many themselves, and they say it is not so much harm to take one
when they can get it. This man Merrill, they say, branded twenty
steers for his own, last spring, when he knew they were Saboba
cattle!"
"Why did they not make him give them up?" cried Ramona.
"Did not Majella see to-day why they can do nothing? There is no
help for us, Majella, only to hide; that is all we can do!"
A new terror had entered into Ramona's life; she dared not tell it to
Alessandro; she hardly put it into words in her thoughts.
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