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took the chair Rezanov placed for her。 Except for her Castilian fairness； she looked very like the martinet sitting on the other side of the table。 The Commandante regarded her silently with brows drawn together。 Dimly； he felt apprehension； wondered； in a flash of insight； if girls held fast to the parental recipe； or recombined with tongue in cheek。 The bare possibility of resistance almost threw him into panic； but he controlled his features until the effort injected his eyes and drew in his nostrils。 Concha regarded him calmly； al… though her heart beat unevenly； for she dreaded the long strain she foresaw。
〃My daughter；〃 said Don Jose finally； his tones harsh with repressed misgiving； 〃do you suspect why I have sent for you？〃
〃I think that his excellency wishes to marry me；〃 replied Concha； and the Commandante was so stag… gered by the calm assurance of her tone and manner that his pent…up emotion exploded。
〃Dios！〃 he roared。 〃What right have you to know when a man wishes to marry you？ What manner of Spanish girl is this？ Truly has his ex… cellency said that you are not as other women。 The place for you is your room； with bread and water for a week。 Sixteen！〃
〃Ignacio was born when my mother was sixteen；〃 said Concha coolly。
〃What of that？ She married whom and when she was told to marry。〃
〃I have heard that you serenaded nightly beneath her grating〃
〃So did others。〃
〃I have heard that when of all her suitors her father chose one more highly born； a gentleman of the Viceroy's court； she pined until they gave their consent to her marriage with you； lest she die。〃
〃But I was a Catholic！ The prejudice against my birth was an unworthy one。 I had distinguished myself。 And she had the support of the priests。〃
〃It is my misfortune that M。 de Rezanov is not a Catholic； but it will make no difference。 I shall not fall ill； for I am like you； not like my dear motherand the education you have given me is very different from hers。 But I shall marry his excellency or no one； and whether I marry him or live alone with the thought of him until the end of my mortal days； I do not believe that my soul will be imperilled in the least。〃
〃You do not！〃 shouted the irate Spaniard。 〃How dare you presume to decide such a question for yourself？ What does a woman know of love until she marries？ It is nothing but a sickening imag… ination before； and if the man goes； the doctor soon comes。〃
〃You may not have intendedbut you have taught me to think for myself。 And I have seen others besides M。 de Rezanovthe flower of Cali… fornia and more than one fine gentleman from Mexico。 I will have none of them。 I will marry the man of my choice or no one。 It may be that I know naught of love。 If you wish； you may think that my choice of a husband is determined by ambi… tion； that I am dazzled with the thought of court life in St。 Petersburg； of being the consort of a great and wealthy noble。 It matters not。 Love or ambition； I shall marry this Russian or I shall never marry at all。〃
〃Mother of God！ Mother of God！〃 Don Jose's face was purple。 The veins swelled in his neck。 He was the more wroth because he recognized his own daughter and his own handiwork； because he saw that he confronted a Toledo blade； not a woman's brittle will。 Concha regarded him calmly。
〃If you refuse your consent you will lose me in another way。 I may not be able to marry as I wish； but I will have no worldly alternative。 I shall join the Third Order of the Franciscans； and enter a convent as soon as one is built in California。 To that you cannot withhold your consent； or they no longer would call you El santo。〃
Don Jose leaped from his chair。 〃Go to your room！〃 he thundered。 〃And do not dare to leave it without my permission〃
But Concha sprang forward and flung herself upon his neck。 She rubbed her warm elastic cheek against his own in the manner he loved； and softened her voice。 〃Papacito mio； papacito mio；〃 she pleaded。 〃Thou wilt not refuse thy Concha the only thing she has ever begged of thee。 And I beg！ I beg！ Papa mio！ I love him！ I love him！〃 And she broke into wild weeping and kissed him franti… cally； while Rezanov who had followed her plan of attack and resistance in silent admiration； did not know whether he should himself be moved to tears or further admire。
Don Jose pushed her from him with a heavy sob and hastily left the room； oblivious in the confusion of his faculties of the boon he conferred on the lovers。 Concha dried her eyes； but her face was deathly pale。 It had not been all acting； by any means； and she was beginning to feel the tyranny of sleepless nights； and the joy and wonder of the morning had left her with but a remnant of endur… ance for the domestic battleground。
〃Go；〃 she whispered； as he took her in his arms。 〃Return for the dance to…night as if nothing had happened I forgot； there is to be a bull…bear fight in the square。 So much the better； for it is in your honor； and you could not well remain away。 There is much trouble to come； but in the end we shall win。〃
XVII
The muscles in Dona Ignacia's cheeks fell an inch as she listened； dumbfounded； to the tale her husband poured out。 To her simple aristocratic soul Rez… anov had loomed too great a personage to dream of mating with a Californian； and as her sharp mater… nal instinct had recognized his personal probity； even his gallantries had seemed to her no more con… sequent than the more catholic trifling of his officers。
〃Holy Mary！〃 she whimpered； when her voice came back。 〃Holy Mary！ A heretic！ And he would take our Concha from us！ And she would go！ To St。 Petersburg！ Ten thousand miles！ To the priests with hernowthis very day！〃
Concha had thrown herself on her bed in belated hope of siesta； when Malia （Rosa had been sent to the house of Don Mario Sal in the valley） entered with the message that she was to accompany her parents to the Mission at once。 She rose sullenly； but in the manifold essentials of a girl's life she had always yielded the implicit obedience exacted by the Californian parent。 In a few moments she was riding out of the Presidio beside her father。 Dona Ignacia jolted behind in her carreta； a low and clumsy vehicle； on solid wheels and springless； drawn by oxen； and driven by a stable…boy on a mustang。 The journey was made in complete si… lence save for the maledictions addressed to the oxen by the boy； and an occasional 〃Ay yi！〃 〃Madre de Dios！〃 〃Sainted Mary； but the sun bores a hole in the head；〃 from Dona Ignacia； whose increasing discomfort banished wrath and apprehension for the hour。
Don Jose did not even look at his daughter； but his face was ten years older than in the morning。 He had begun dimly to appreciate that she was suf… fering； and in a manner vastly different from the passionate resentment he had seen her display when the contents of a box from Mexico disappointed her； or she was denied a visit to Monterey。 That his best…loved child should suffer tore his own heart； but he merely cursed Rezanov and resolved to do his best to persuade the Governor to yield to his other demands； that California might be rid of him the sooner。
Father Abel