Where is he?"

Her mother grimaced. "I suppose it is no use to
protest Well, my little one, I think he is at this
moment on the hill with Lieutenant Ord."

"Why did he not come to see me before he went
out?"

"He did, my daughter, but thou wert asleep. He
kissed thee and stole away."

"Where?"

"Right there on your cheek, one inch below your
eyelashes."

"When will he return?"

"Holy Mary! For dinner, surely, and that will be
in an hour/ 9

"When can I get up?"



126 THE SPLENDID IDLE FORTIES

"In another week. Thou art so well! I would not
have thee draw too heavily on thy little strength. An-
other month and thou wilt not remember that thou
hast been ill. Then we will go to the rancho, where
thou and thy little one will have sun all day and no
fog."

"Have I not a good husband, mamacita?"

"Yes; I love him like my own son. Had he been
unkind to thee, I should have killed him with my own
hands; but as he has his lips to thy little slipper, I
forgive him for being an American."

"And you no longer wish for a necklace of American
ears ! Oh, mamma ! "

Dofia Eustaquia frowned, then sighed. "I do not
know the American head for which I have not more
like than hate, and they are welcome to their ears; but j
the spirit of that wish is in my heart yet, my child. Our
country has been taken from us; we are aliens in our
own land ; it is the American's. They — holy God ! —
permit us to live here ! "

"But they like us better than their own women."

" Perhaps ; they are men and like what they have not
had too long."

" Mamacita, I am thirsty."

" What wilt thou have ? A glass of water ? "

" Water has no taste."

" I know ! "

Dofia Eustaquia left the room and returned with an



THE EARS OF TWENTY AMERICANS 137

orange. " This will be cool and pleasant on so warm a
day. It is just a little sour," she said ; but the nurse
raised her bony hand.
