Show Mistress r ss of Monterey VIRGINIA STIVERS BARTLETT e Stiver B BarUtt rin I SYNOPSIS In Spanish governed Cal o oi of 1785 1783 I conflict between Church and end State Stale li ii represented by two friendly enemies trail hall old Fray Serra Franciscan Francis can ean missionary and Don Pedro rage Fal governor After Atter telling Serra be he Is U lend sending lending In I to Mexico for or his hll wife and ton son whom hom he be h. h hat has not teen seen for or eight year ean he ha refuses his hi aid toward founding the Santa Barbara In Mexico City Dona Iona accompanied by her duenna An An- arrives at the embassy emby In re- re pone to a letter from rom her ber husband Don Den Pedro She agrees aee to go 0 to Call Cali fornia Don Pedro sends lend for or Serra telling tell ten In ing him that two priests priest are on their way ay from rom Mexico with Eulalla and young Pedro and that he Is I. leaving to met th them m. m engages engage a young Indian girl u la as II maid for or Eulalla Eulalia Eu Bu Bulls alls laUa sails sael from rom San Bias Blas It la Lu a desolate deco deso Is late ate Ie trip CHAPTER IV IV Continued Continued I 4 Hal she e said again Sol So This mis v beautiful land sends lends a scourge of 1 vermin to plague me mel Very well I Ishall Ishall shall ball not weep weep weep-I I shall not weaken I shall shaU conquer this California or California or I will die I She summoned little Pedro to her and all aU afternoon to the accompaniment ment of a dismal scattering sand scattering breeze beguiled his Imagination and comforted her desolation with stories Ito sto ries rles that began When I was a lit lit- little little tle tie girl In beautiful Barcelona For several days the ancient capital rapt capi tal of Baja Daja California stirred from its ita sun and sun smitten sand smitten lethargy to prepare La Gobernadora as they al already already already al- al ready called Dona Eulalla Eulalia for her herlong herlong herlong long journey to Monterey In California California Cali Call fornia Alta But the troubles with stubborn Indians trying to dispose of more stubborn burros the difficulty dun culty In finding and buying satisfactory satisfactory satis satis- factory riding and pack animals the labor of packing and provisioning food water and clothing for a trip that would endure for months con con- the lady not at all an When at last the he long caravan left Loreto Eulalia Eulalla was fairly comfortable ble on a white Spanish jennet It was a strange assortment of pilgrims which rode away from Loreto Loreto Lo Lo- Lo reto that morning at sunrise La Gobernadora herself hiding biding her trepidation beneath a a demeanor carefully calm but unusually pale small Pedro triumphant on a burro almost as small as himself AngustIas Angus Angus- her brittle bones boring her ber flesh agonizingly before Loreto was wasi w was wasa s sf a mile behind holding Chichi the i f I monkey who was as afraid of the mule as the mule was of him At Atthe Atthe Atthe the head of the van rode one Capitan Capi tan Canete serious troubled by his responsibility a seasoned traveler and admiring friend of Pedro Fages There were cooks muleteers mule water tenders vaqueros Indian Indian In In- dian dlan runners runner and bearers tortilla tortilla- makers wood cutters soldiers and stragglers A little to themselves heads withdrawn with drawn into the cowls of their Franciscan Fran robes two priests rode their presence in the expedition an answer an an- ewer to Serras Serra's prayers In the northern reaches of California Call Cali fornia Alta AUa a hurrying party of horsemen followed the flying horse of the Governor of the California spurred and lashed by his rider as ai the rider was spurred and lashed by hot impatience CHAPTER V Leagues of Eulalla's journey lay behind many terrible leagues trav tray traversed traversed doggedly day and night with heat lust dust thirst weariness and an BO awful numbing fear of the unknown that robbed her hr of rest When at the end of a days day's travel I Eulalla lay on her pallet and felt fel 1 sleep must come that the blessing of complete oblivion and release from suffering would at last requite her the blessing was denied dented Always Al AI ways at the moment when she f seemed Upping slipping Into unconscious unconsciousness ness a rude hand gripped her weary heart and shook it cruelly until her whole body trembled and swea sweat coldly During the first dist nights she would woul cry out and creep to little Pedros Pedro's side for comfort or summon An gustia to her Then she he grew ashamed of her ber childishness and only lay the quieter when her fear specter haunted her Sitting before her campfire one night at the end of a trying day she questioned herself Why ha hashe had she been persuaded to come on this thi journey She who was born to luxury luxury lux lux- ury soft cushions and luxurious coaches coached Lifting her face she stared at th the fire fre e. e Queen of the sh she muttered bitterly Angustias bustling Into the cIrcle of light broke into her rebellious musings The two priests are coming to call on you Dona Eulalla Eulalia she che an pounced Eulalia did no not move Yes she questioned dully Yes Yea and andI I U think It Its It's about time Do you fou know I think there i is fa something queer about those thoe two I Ibave have bave heard heard- Eulalia Eulalla sniffed as a her ber duena Juena with Chichi In hi her arms arm hunched bunched closer close w 10 the tire fire You would hear got gossip tip on a desert dew des dewart ert art isle and you the only soul on it the she remarked bending her ear nevertheless nev neve nevertheless closer doter to her companionI companion I have heard continued Angus Angus- ties that there are two people on this Journey who are being sent to California as a punishment for their sins Ilna and I wondered Eulalia Eulalla flung out her arms dra dra- A punishment for their sins And AndI I am sent ent to reap reap a reward for my virtues virtue I A strange country this California Cal to which at the same time people are sent for punishment and andre re reward ward I l Angustias nodded Yes Yel it is I am wondering who will get what h Sh here they coue Into the light of the fire two clad brown-clad figures loomed out of the shadows Greetings Senora La Gobernadora Goberna Goberna- Gobernadora dora said a solemn voice I am Fray Mariano and this thI is ii Fray Bartolome Bar Bar- Bartolome two poor brothers brothen of the r irU fl g I q I 1 See And Are You Ton Enjoying This Journey mendicant order of San Francisco Greetings to you good Fathers replied Eulalia Eulalla Will you not sit It down by my They disposed themselves on the ground and stared fixedly at the la la- dy iy Then they exchanged a long look ook and nodded Eulalia was in her turn studying them They were young for friars and looked strangely alike though one Fray Mariano looked slightly older Their tonsures were quite black alack and their black eyes very much alive But Fray Mariano's Marianos look was direct to the point of impudence impudence im im- and Fray Bartolome's Bartolome glances slid about indirectly Both bad had sensual mouths but again with witha a difference the lips of one turned up in a sly Ily grin the other turned down the corners comers of his mouth with sneer They were silent Dent and Eulalla tried uncomfortably bly to open a conversation You resemble each other very much she he said Are you fOU brothers broth broth- ers ersT Ah Alt no no only brothers In hi God Intoned Fray Mariano Mariana My name Is HubU and Fray Bartolomei Bartolome's name is Gill Gui I see And are you fOU enjoying this thI Journey This started a long tirade from Fray Mariano They decidedly were not He complained of everything the escort the trails the food the tents provided for them their mules everything Fray Bartolome coughed slightly and gave his companion a nudge which the skeptical Angustias ob oh I served The other stop stopped ed sudden ly iy But Dut we are resigned he in in- toned Yes we are resigned It Is I. Gods God's will we should make this pU pD grimage so 10 we do not complain Do you think we are complaining he be asked Eulalla Eulalia anxiously If U you fOU do I am sure lure it t Is with good cause she replied Later after the two priests departed departed de de- parted and Angustias was brushing her mistress mistress' hair she remarked I dont dont don't know how It appears to you ou but but those do not seem tru true religious men to me They The are strange I can caD not tin un them Angustias The Their eyes I And how they stare But they are Franciscans after all an and mus must be but I dont don't understand them They make me feel uncomfortable CHAPTER VI In the Valley of an oasis oasis oa sis III in the barren heart of Baja Call Cali fornia La Gobernadora was waa enter tamed at Mission San Jose de Co Co- monde beloved of all travelers sol aol Biers dlen and priests priest who made th the dreary trip up and down the penin penin- tula sula For days the they rested there the sparkling waters water o oan of an abundant stream and by figs apt pomegranates peaches and dates datu beneath the clashing fronds frond of giant gl gi glut ant ut palms palm There was a halt bait at Santa Rosalia de e on the Vermillion Vermilion sea ea where there was wu another old stone tone mission minion and fruitful gardens garden From there here the cavalcade traveled over a horrible wilderness well-named well Tierra TIera Ti- Ti era erra del Werno Hell HeD country which quaked constantly as a they traversed its Ita barrenness By Bf a broad flat camino built buDt m many years rear before by Jesuit mis mis- who had urged hundreds hundred of f Indian neophytes to the colossal task ask by flogging them when they lagged they traveled to the Mission Minion San Ignacio which stood In a fertile arroyo that opened In a barren mesa mea Leaving there with water water skins skins and ind casks cask bulging for the desert travel ravel ahead they traveled northward north ward skirting the eastern edge of the Desert of a treacherous ous ou terrain At Mission Santa Gertrudis In a great mountain-girt mountain amphitheater all ail gave thanks that they had arrived arrived ar are rived In safety though their water- water skins kins were lean and dry At Santa Gertrudis Eulalia Eulalla heard first rumors of the approach of her husband Indians coming from the north reported fires that burned by night and a party of horsemen who traveled swiftly by day La Gobernadora still till rode silently silent silent- ly y uncomplainingly It was y n-y sy syler her ler pride that kept her from fling fling- tog ng herself from her horse on to the ground round and screaming until untO the tension that was holding her quivering quiver quiver- Ing ng nerves nervel shattered In a satisfying hysteria At night in her tent or orby orby by jy the campfire she he was subject to changing moods mood sometimes sometime gloomy silent ilent brooding sometimes bright with febrile gaiety Angustias was watching her mistress mistress mis mil tress tresa doubtfully gauging her temper tem tern per her experienced weather eye reading infallible signs that her ber ladys lady's la lady lady's ladys la la- dys dy's nerves were frayed to a breaking break ing point and that a hurricane was due to break If U she can only wait walt until untO we meet Don Pedro she prayed She needs her husband at a time like this thi The hurricane arrived before the Governor One evening Just before nightfall the storm broke The They had been traveling for days day among the lofty mountains that stretch along the waist or narrowest narrowest nar part of the peninsula Eulalla Eulalia shivering as night came cameon on for now the nights were as coleas cold cole as the days were hot rode beside betide little Utie Pedro Behind came Angus cuddling her monkey as they both dozed At the head of the van rode the Capitan Little Pedro leaned closer to his mother and whispered Eulalla Eulalia frowned On my soul child I We can not stop now I Control Control Con Con- trot yourself But the child would not be con trolled He stopped his burro threw the reins toward Angustias and disappeared in the brush I Angustias startled from her nap made a lunge at the reins missed them and end brought her hand sharply against ChIchi Chichis face The terrified monkey in turn awakened rudel rudely from his little snoozing leaped straight for Pedros Pedro's burro and the burro bolted off the trail Chichi screamed creamed trying to 0 get from her clumsy sidesaddle side side- saddle Chichi Baby I But Dut the little burro and his detested detest detest- ed frightened burden went careening careen careen- ing tug away in the dusk Capitan Canete wheeled to Lila Eula Eulalla's lla's Ua's side just as a. Angustias slipped on to the dusty trail screaming am and crying My Lady exclaimed the Capitan Capi tan What Is the matter matterT But Eulalia Eulalla only pointed after her fleeing companion Will you help her herT she he asked aked struggling for control Will Win you help her to catch that fool little Chichi He has haa eloped with Pedros Pedro's burrol Oh damn that ape and damn that hat alii Oh pardon me Senora Senora- but ut I are I-are are you all right my Lady Yes Yea yes of course cour Oh here bere she he comes comell Out of the dusk came Angustias trying to hold the monkey which struggled and clawed in furious panic It had bad pulled the womans woman's gray fray hair In tatters over her face and md she he looked like a witch emerge lag ing ng from the night lie doesn't know me met mel He Ite Is I. mad from fright Oh my little darling my plum sugarplum you are safe afe In hi your mothers mother's arms arm There there therel I IThe The Capitan exploded By the holy bones of Saint Bartholomew Bartholomew Bar Dar woman Why didn't you get the burro Here you rOu to an Indian In dian dlan fetch back that animal Grinning the Indian loped away He lIe hated haled and feared Chichi as a. the rest of the natives did Angustias climbed on to her horse hors again soothing her weeping treas ure tire The Capitan heaved a sigh Well Wen he said ald are we allBut allBut all all all- But suddenly a piercing shriek came from somewhere a long loni high wall wail that ended In Ma Ma amal amal a Eulalla slipped from her jennet Pedro Pedro Pedrol I What Is it My God God God- Before the Capitan could reach her she had met the child and had him clasped in her arms arm Mama look Look mama AI Al AI all I am hurt AI Al ai al all ail What has happened What is It ItT Do no cry speak to me mel melHe mellIe He lIe held out his hi hands hand to her Look cactus All AU the needles ran in hi me met mel Ouch al ai al al ai ail aU aUThe The Capitan took the child from his hi mother and set et him on his hi own knee as he squatted on the trail trait Yes Yel yes ye What I was back there there there-In In the pushes bushes a a big black something ng came after me and I ran and stumbled Into the choUa ouch cholla-ouch ouch ouch I His IUs face and arms arm were swelling from the hundreds of needles needle that had penetrated his skin stinging i him to agony as a. he be strove to scratch them out Canete took firm hold of his hi wrists Dont scratch I Dona Angustias let down your hair hairl Angustias put her hand to her scant cant gray locks in bewilderment But But why why she stammered Because you must help this suffering suf fering child Only long hair will wlL draw out cactus thorns thorn Quickly I But young Pedro was already enveloped enveloped en in a flood of black tresses as his mothers mother's hair tumbled about him soothing his hi stings and drawing draw ing mg by some strange attraction the needles from his flesh At last his hi cries dropped to sob sobs and his hi sobs ob to whimpers Then h he sniveled softly in his mothers mother's arms arm Now my brave little man will wil you smile at Mother Poor darling poor Utile little soldier I want a drink of water |