hidden by the growth of broad leaved plants as soon as they had fallen
brown upon the earth, producing that endless harmony of Californian
nature, a life everlasting.

There were a few orange coloured poppies nodding in the mesas but violet
star-flowers scattered over the lower meadows were powerful enough, by
reason of their numbers, to conquer the colour of the grass, while the
fields near the river were yellow with juicy cowslips.

Now the blue dome of St. Helena was not so often visible, for the clouds
hovered about it filled with wealth giving rain.

Ploughing and planting had begun and in some places the grain had
already started; blackbirds in hosts were perched on all the fences,
watching the sowers and chattering saucily to each other as they snapped
their bead-like eyes in anticipation of the feast so profusely spreading
for them.

Over the low lands where the bay stretched its many arms in and out,
offering to the ranchos its assistance to carry their abundant produce
to a market, the marshes were red with short-growing sorrel, and the
dark green of the tules along the edges fringed the silver indentations
of the water in harmonious contrast.

All this did Jovita and Crescimir see from the veranda of Tulucay as
with the Christchild by them they talked of the strange discovery and
first sudden birth of their love, of how Jovita had first left the
flowers at his door and how he had longed so much to know the one, the
only one who had cheered his loneliness, and how he had loved the donor
even before he had known that it was she.