Both Pepe and the shepherd dog appeared to regard her with surprise and solicitude.
Ellen's spirit was low this morning; her blood ran sluggishly; she had to fight a mournful tendency to feel sorry for herself.

And at first she was not very successful.

There seemed to be some kind of pleasure in reveling in melancholy which her common sense told her had no reason for existence.

But states of mind persisted in spite of common sense.
"Pepe, when is Antonio comin' back ?" she asked.
The boy could not give her a satisfactory answer.

Ellen had willingly taken the sheep herder's place for a few days, but now she was impatient to go home.