“No, don't write to him about that yet. I'll try to get money enough to take us home. If Tano is sick, I certainly should be there. If he was trying to plow, I think I can do that, too. Yes, I ought to have stayed at home and worked in our orchard, and we would not have suffered the distress of mind at my repeated failures. As soon as I make money enough to pay the board bill I owe and have enough left to pay our fare to San Diego, we'll go home. Don't write to George to help me, I don't like that. I can work and help myself.”
“Forgive me, my darling,” said Lizzie, blushing crimson; “I have already written to George. I told him I was going to persuade you to go home. I wrote him a month ago. I expect his answer very soon.” Seeing that Gabriel also blushed, Lizzie added: “I am sorry if I offended you.”
“You have not offended me. I blushed because I, too, have been keeping a secret from you, thinking you might not approve of it, or feel humiliated.”
“What is it, pray?”
“I have been trying to learn a trade.”
“A trade! What trade, for gracious sake?”
“A very respectable one. That of a mason.”
“But can you learn that? Where?”
“Anywhere. I have been taking some lessons and earning my two dollars per day besides.”
“Oh, Gabriel, why did you do that?” said Lizzie, her face suffused with blushes.