The Acequia Madre of Santiago, Chapters IV-VI [pp. 246-259]

246 ~e Acequja Afadre of Sandago. [Sept.
THE ACEQUlA MADRE OF SANTIAGO.
to be compared with his dusky mistress.
IV. And through her dark eyes looked out the
soul of a true and loving woman. She was
Once again Felipe waited patiently for good. He felt as sure of that as he did of
the setting of the moon, in the dark corner his own existence. Her kindness and dutibetween the mud oven and the wall where ful spirit he knew, for he had seen her bewe saw him first. Thoughts keen almost as havior in the daily life of the village. What
sensations chased each other through his a shame it was that she should be so illmind as he crouched there watching. Dom- treated just because she was by nature geninant was the feeling of the eternal sense of tIe and obedient! Poor girl, she would
need: "I want her and I'll have her." want to be comforted a great deal to make
All this trouble, and strife, and disappoint- up for all the trials she was undergoing now.
ment only made him more obstinate. "I He would have to be very good to her in
will succeed," he said to himself. "I will. every way, and he swore to himself that he
If I fail now I shall be a loser all my life, would be so: he would do his best to make
always wanting, never getting. If I win I her happy. Ah, if they could but once get
shall have what I desire all my life and be to the padre at Ensenada and be married
happy." This was frank egoism. Felipe's by him, it would be all right; and at the
moral standpoint may be guessed from the thought his pulse beat high.
fact that had he been told he was egoistic At last the welcome hand appeared at the
he would not have understood the implied hole in the wall he had been watching so
reproach. To himself his position was long, and he flew to the spot.
simply natural. "Is that you, sweetheart?" he whispered
But it would be wrong to suppose that as he stretched his hand along the wall to
generous and unselfish impulses did not run meet the little fingers. "I always tell myside by side with self-regarding ones. He self you will not come, just to tease myself,
thought of Josefa, lonely affd sad in her for I know all the time that you will. And
father's house. His anger rose as he at last I see the signal and I know it is all
thought of the unkindness and the threats right."
she had to endure, and of the heartless way "You know I always do come," she rein which she was being disposed of. He turned, "you bad boy, as soon as I feel
longed to save her from th~ present trouble sure they are sound asleep. But now tell
and from the hateful future that threatened me what news you have?"
her. How sweet she was and how beauti- "Bad enough," said he despondently.
ful! A white man might have laughed at "I asked the American - I begged hard of
the idea of beauty in a squaw; but in Fel- him; but he would not lend me one of his
ipe's eyes the red skin and the features cast beasts. I waited till he was in a good temin a different mould from ours were no per after he had blasted the rock; but it
drawbacks, but the very condition of beauty. was no use. I will go tomorrow to the
He would have scoffed at the idea of any sierra for my father's horse and I will come
Mexican or any Amen can woman being fit back for you in the night. He is thin and