When she was out of sight Encarnacion strolled over to the end loom. "Marta has pride that Padre Majin de Catala, of Mission Santa Clara, baptized her mother. Padre Junipero Serra himself baptized my grandfather, in San Diego Mission. Padre Junipero always said that Indians who work hard and pray the Virgin every day would be high in heaven when they died. I never heard he said that of lady's maids," looking at Pepita.
Pepita was happy in anticipation, and so made no reply.
"Last year, when I was at Yerba Buena, in the family of Señor Arguello," said Jesusa, whose loom had become silent the moment of Marta's departure, "a very old man at Mission Dolores said the sea did not always run in and out there, past Yerba Buena, but mountains once were where ships sail now. I asked him if white men had dug the way for the ocean, and he said white men never work." Jesusa was proud of her temporary residence in Yerba Buena, and brought it forward at every opportunity.
"Will the white men, then, who are not padres, go to heaven?" inquired Tula, who had abandoned her work.
The theology of none of them was equal to a reply for this question.
"Where do you suppose all the peon soldiers have gone? I saw many, many marching away this morning, Señor Mendoza leading them. San José de Guadalupe! but they looked handsome!" said Elasia, a girl who had seated herself on the ground, her hands lying idly in her lap.
"Oho! the peon Ildefranco alone didst thou see. We know," said some one.
"Yes, yes," joined in others.
"You have no need to talk. You were all watching them, and with your mouths wide open. I saw you," retorted Elasia.
Everyone began to laugh.