Is it conceivable that she would give to your Antonia a book that she ought not to read ?" The Senora took it in her hands and turned the leaves very much as a child might turn those of a book in an unknown tongue, in which there were no illustrations nor anything that looked the least interesting.
It was a pretty volume of moderate size, bound in purple morocco, and fastened with gilt clasps.
"I see the word GOD in it very often, Fray Ignatius.

Perhaps, indeed, it is not bad." "It is a heretic Bible, I am sure.

Could anything be more sinful, more disrespectful to God, more dangerous for a young girl ?" and as he said the words he took it from the Senora's listless hands, glanced at the obnoxious title-page, and then, stepping hastily to the hearth, flung the book upon the burning logs.
With a cry of horror, pain, amazement, all blended, Antonia sprang towards the fire, but Fray Ignatius stood with outstretched arms, before it.
"Stand back!" he cried.

"To save your soul from eternal fires, I burn the book that has misled you!" "Oh, my Bible! Oh, my Bible! Oh, mother! mother!" and sobbing and crying out in her fear and anger, she fled down stairs and called the peon Ortiz.
"Do you know where to find the Senor Doctor?
If you do, Ortiz, take the swiftest horse and bring him here." The man looked with anger into the girl's troubled face.

For a moment he was something unlike himself.