Page 14 - ramona-text

6 RAMONA
been for twenty odd years his habit to sit on the long bench
and smoke his pipe of a morning. Before he had got half-way
across the court-yard, however, a thought struck him. He
halted so suddenly that Capitan, with the quick sensitiveness
of his breed, thought so sudden a change of purpose could
only come from something in connection with sheep; and,
true to his instinct of duty, pricked up his ears, poised him-
self for a full run, and looked up in his master's face wait-
ing for explanation and signal. But Juan did not observe him.
"Ha!" he said, "Father Salvierderra comes next month,
does he? Let's see. To-day is the 25th. That's it. The sheep-
shearing is not to come off till the Father gets here. Then
each morning it will be mass in the chapel, and each night
vespers; and the crowd will be here at least two days longer
to feed, for the time they will lose by that and by the con-
fessions. That's what Seiior Felipe is up to. He's a pious lad.
recollect now, it was the same way two years ago. Well,
I
well, it is -a good thing for those poor Indian devils to get
a bit of religion now and then; and it's like old times to see
the chapel full of them kneeling, and more than can get in
at the door; I doubt not it warms the Sefiora's heart to see
them all there, as if they belonged to the house, as they
used to: and now I know when it's to be, I have only to
make my arrangements accordingly. It is always in the first
week of the month the Father gets here. Yes; she said, 'Senor
Felipe will be well enough in a week or two, he thinks.' Ha!
ha! It will be nearer two; ten days or thereabouts. I'll begin
the booths next week. A plague on that Luigo for not being
back here. He's the best hand 1 have to cut the willow
boughs for the roofs. He knows the difference between one
/ear's growth and another's; I'll say that much for him, spite
of the silly dreaming head he's got on his shoulders."
Juan was so pleased with his clearing up in his mind as
to Senor Felipe's purpose about the time of the sheep-
shearing, that it put him in good humor for the day, — good
humor with everybody, and himself most of all. As he sat
on the low bench, his head leaning back against the white-
washed wall, his long legs stretched out nearly across the
whole width of the veranda, his pipe firm wedged in the ex-