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 "Has Padre Ignacio told you of my banishment, Gertrudis?"

"Banishment?" She lifted her face quickly, in a panic of surprise.

"For the peace of San Fernando. You know what has happened?"

"May you always strike hard for those you love, Don Juan." She laid her free hand on his where it clasped the slender handle of the little basket, her seal of approval of the deed for which he stood under sentence of banishment. "But I did not know that you must go; I thought Padre Ignacio had arranged a truce. I heard him speak of a truce to Don Geronimo."

"Only covering the time I make my preparations to depart. Tomorrow Padre Ignacio will give me letters to certain people on the way, and a map of the road I am to go."

"But the soldiers, Don Juan?"

"There will be no soldiers the way I am going, Tula; not even men of any kind for a long and weary way across the southern desert. Very likely I'll leave in the night, besides. They'd find it hard to follow me."

"It will seem that so much will go with you away from San Fernando, Don Juan," she said pathetically, "so much of the life and energy of the place, so much that is needed here for the happiness of all."

"I wish I could think it so," he said, his voice low and grave.