"Yes, that is so," agreed his wife. "Some one would die, or some waif would come along and we would keep them till a home was provided."
"Suppose you take the little Indian," said her husband. "I am greatly interested in the boy. He and I have a chat nearly every day. We might be able to give him some kind of a chance also. If I buy that ranch up at Poway he could be of use there."
"What do you wish me to do—not to take the child into the family as one of us, surely?"
"Oh, no, not exactly; but we could take her in now, and later send her to the Mission, or perhaps to school in town. If she is anything like her brother she will become a help to you some day."
Nellie listened with sparkling eyes.
"Yes, do, mamma; do, do!" she begged.
"Well, I am willing to try it," said the mother. "That is, if her brother consents, and we can get her thoroughly washed and combed and clothed before we bring her here. How is that to be done?"
"Alfonsa will do it," cried Nellie. "She has the cleanest house, mother—the cleanest—and you see how neat she looks."
"Well, we can ask her after we have seen Dionysio," said her mother.
It was trying for Nellie to wait until they laid the old woman away on the hillside, where the Indians bury their dead.