of the men belonging to the mission, with his wife and one year old
child. Diego Borja, this was the man's name, had been connected with the
mission ever since he was a boy, serving in various occupations, first,
as altar boy, then as occasion required, as messenger and servant to the
Father, carpenter, for he was a skilled artisan, and overseer of the
planting and gathering of the crops. He had even been trusted by the
Father with commercial negotiations with merchants at San Pedro and Los
Angeles, selling to them hides, which were a valuable source of wealth
to the mission, and wine, famous for its fine quality. He was, in fact,
a general utility man, on whom, on account of his reliability and
versatile qualities, the Father depended greatly. Father Zalvidea, the
senior priest at San Gabriel, had reason to congratulate himself on
having Diego at his command, for not often is such an one found among
the poorer and laboring class of Mexicans, combining the power and
ability to serve in manifold ways, with a love of work for its own sake
as well as for the reward it brings - very different from the general
slowness and laziness of this class.

Two years before this little tale opens, Diego had become attached to a
young girl living at the mission. Juana was an orphan, and had come to
Nueva California from the same institution in Mexico which, many years
before, had sent "La Beata," well known and loved by every one in the
country. Juana had none of the characteristics of the celebrated
Apolinaria, excepting only her piety, for she was a simple young woman,
doing what was given her to do with a devout, unquestioning
thankfulness, happy that she was able to work for those who had
befriended her. She had been at San Gabriel for some years, and was the
teacher of the Indian girls' school. It was the most natural thing to
occur in the little world at San Gabriel, that Diego and Juana should be
drawn to each other, for neither had any relatives at the mission, and