Yaquita, his
daughter, had, in this silent young man, so gentle to others, so
stern to himself, recognized the sterling qualities which her father
had done. She was in love with him, but though on his side Joam had
not remained insensible to the merits and the beauty of this
excellent girl, he was too proud and reserved to dream of asking her
to marry him.
A serious incident hastened the solution.
Magalha?s was one day superintending a clearance and was mortally
wounded by the fall of a tree. Carried home helpless to the farm, and
feeling himself lost, he raised up Yaquita, who was weeping by his
side, took her hand, and put it into that of Joam Garral, making him
swear to take her for his wife.
"You have made my fortune," he said, "and I shall not die in peace
unless by this union I know that the fortune of my daughter is
assured."
"I can continue her devoted servant, her brother, her protector,
without being her husband," Joam Garral had at first replied. "I owe
you all, Magalha?s. I will never forget it, but the price you would
pay for my endeavors is out of all proportion to what they are
worth.
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