McGraw©Hill/Focus/The Christmas Parade p. 256/ ///R7N16 ***** Maria stood in the doorway, holding her breath, and

immediately George Gonzaga knew he had caught the thief. Poor

Maria, who was 12 years old, had never been able to hide guilt.

"You did it !" he shouted, both angry and hurt.

Maria nodded, swallowing again. She felt awful, so

ashamed, yet she was glad he had discovered the money was gone.

He checked the health of his savings, down to the penny, once a

week. Discovery was inevitable.

Dumbfounded, Gonzaga looked from Felicia, his wife, back to

his daughter. Though she was sometimes flighty and foolish, the

thin, black©haired girl had always seemed so faithful and pure.

Now Maria was a thief, a common sneak thief. "Why?" Felicia

asked, shaking her head in disbelief. The gonzagas had never

stolen from each other or anyone else. "Why?" Gonzaga echoed,

but in rage. Fifteen dollars was a lot of money in this October

many years ago. "I entered us in the Christmas parade, Papa," Maria said in

a tiny voice, almost a whisper. Rafael, her older brother, laughed. "She's crazy." Gonzaga's mouth dropped open. "you did what?" He was a

stocky, gray©haired man and worked seven days a week, growing

vegetables on almost every inch of their land, located in a long,

fertile valley in California. Felicia worked beside him most of

the time, as did Maria and Rafael when they weren't at school. Maria swallowed once more and took a deep, deep breath. "I

entered Rancho Gonzaga in the parade."