"I marry you!" she cried. "An Estenega! A renegade? May God cast me
out of heaven if I do! There, I have sworn! I have sworn! Do you think
a Catholic would break that vow? I swear it by the Church,--and I put
the whole Church between us!"

"I told you just now that I would make you forget your Church." He
caught her hand and held it firmly. "A last word," he said "Your
brother's life is safe: I promise you that."

"Let me go!" she said. "Let me go! I fear you." She was trembling; his
warmth and magnetism had sprung to her shoulder.

He gave her back her hand. "Go," he said: "so ends the first chapter."




X.


Casa Grande,[A] the mansion of the Iturbi y Moncadas in Santa Barbara,
stood at the right of the Presidio, facing the channel. A mile behind,
under the shadow of the gaunt rocky hills curving about the valley,
was the long white Mission, with its double towers, corridor of many
arches, and sloping roof covered with red tiles. Between was the wild
valley where cattle grazed among the trees and the massive bowlders.
The red-tiled white adobe houses of the Presidio and of the little
town clustered under its wing, the brown mud huts of the Indians, were
grouped in the foreground of the deep valley.