"O, Marta, is the Señorita Carmelita thinking of making me one of her peonas? How I would like that! Will you not ask the padre to recommend me to the Señor Mendoza for his household?" The girl got up and put her arm wheedlingly about the woman. "I'll tell thee, Pepita, Modesta's my niece, and I know of what I speak when I give you word of happenings at the great hacienda house." The matrona folded her arms. The clicking of the looms was stilled. Indian maid and wife were as ready to hear the gossip as was Marta to tell it. "Last Saint John's day the quality of Santa Clara valley attended high mass here. As you remember, Lady Carmelita played the organ. Padre Osuna alone excels her. The Indian choir sang, and--Pepita, thou sang well enough. I will say, Señorita Mendoza was much taken with thy solo part. But do not overpride thyself. Thy voice, like thy good looks, is but a gift to thee, not of thine own making." "Tell us the story," the girl urged. "Well, many white people had midday meal at Señor Mendoza's. Padre Osuna did not go, though he was invited. You see, our padre and the señor speak when they meet, and seem friendly, but----" "O, Marta, I don't want to hear about that. Tell what was said about me at the meal." "Don't want to hear--don't want to hear," repeated the matrona. "Well, I shall say nothing at all, if I'm not to speak my own way." "Go on, Marta," cried several, nearly as eager as Pepita. The matrona enjoyed their impatience for a while, affecting to be very busy over her loom. At last-- "At that midday meal Señorita Carmelita said she had heard you, Pepita, sing, and liked your voice as well as Modesta's; that she would soon need a new lady's maid and liked your appearance. Then, Señorita Galindo said she once had you for lady's maid, but sent you back to the neophyte house, because you listened at keyholes and talked too much." "I did not. I did not," asserted Pepita. "What did you do, then?" queried Marta. "I didn't do anything." "But thy tongue, vixen, is often loose, as if hung in the middle, to wag at both ends. Come now, what didst thou say when thou talkedst too much?" "I knew Señorita Galindo was in love with Don Abelardo Peralta, and that he was not with her. When she pinched my arm for pulling her hair as I combed it, I told her that Señor Peralta was in love with a lady in Monterey, Señora Valentino." "What did the Señorita Galindo say to that?" "She pinched my arm more, and boxed my ears till I cried; then sent me to Padre Osuna all covered with lies." Pepita spat at the remembrance. The women turned to their looms again. Marta walked around examining their work, admonishing, encouraging or assisting. "Draw the threads tighter, Joséfa. Pull them equally, not one looser than the others. Calvia, use sense; your weave is uneven."