to me from the ruined wall. I could stand it no longer, and turning, ran
from the grove, over the brow of the hill to the road, fearing every
moment lest the strange spell, from which I had just recovered, should
seize me again.

As I ascended the second hill, I saw, as I looked behind me, a female
figure slowly walking down to the road from the grove of figs. I knew at
once who it was from the odd manner of wearing her reboso, and by the
lameness of her gait; it was Madre Moreno, the witch.

The thought suddenly came to me that she must have been hidden in the
ruin, and have heard me when I called the name of Ysidria, and I
mentally cursed the old hag. Then I thought of the whispered sentence,
and of the three syllabled echo; and knew they must have come from her.

"What can the awful woman have in hand?" I asked myself, "What, but some
wickedness. I wish she did not follow me so closely. Worse than all, she
may tell the fair Ysidria what a fool I made of myself over her
handkerchief; I almost wish with Catalina that the good old days were
here again." I walked home more slowly, and entering the house quietly,
reached my room just as the clock struck two.




V.


The winter went, and the hot summer passed pleasantly.