Before The Gringo Came is a historical novel written by Gertrude Atherton in 1894. The story is set in California during the Mexican period, before the arrival of American settlers. The book follows the lives of a wealthy Spanish family, the Alvarados, and their struggles to maintain their power and status in a changing society. The narrative is told through the eyes of two young girls, Consuelo and Chata, who are cousins and members of the Alvarado...