The Green Forest tribune., 1910-03-11
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 DOLORES
By ECKERT GOODMAN
Copyrighted by Short Stories Co.,. Ltd)

Heroes, like flowers, often spring up amid very unpromising soil Also what is congenial ground for one flower may be most uncongenial for beautiful and have rich aromatic fragrance. Therefore it was hardly indiscreet of Jim that he flourished among the cacti and prickly shrubs of the northern part of Mexico.
 Tourists often took him for an h. dian, or at least a half-breed. Still tourists are scarcely responsible, since their impressions are mainly emotion al and interjectional
 One hot, dusty evening Jim came slouching up the little lazy street. He approached Gillespie. who was stand ing in front of a sombrereria, or hat store.
 Come over to the pulque shop with me and have drink before turning in, won't your"
 A light shot into Gillespies eyes as if he had been expecting the question: He was big man and brave man. but for one of the half-dozen times in his life he declined the offer of a drink
 Tt ain't especially a drink 1 was thinking of," said Jim. You see. there's a couple of greasers over there from up country and I thought you'd rather like to see the fun"
 T would, Jim, indeed I would, but you know it ain't just the same as in the old days. There's the missus and the kids and the temptation to use my gun might grow too powerful over me. Unhappily, these ideas did not ht in with Jim's and as a result Gill lespie soon found himself in front of the pulque shop.
 Jim walked quietly into the room There were the two greasers playing cards at one of the tables and drink ing tall glasses of pulque. As soon as they saw him they reached for their guns, but before they could get them Jim quickly placed his arms across one another, aimed at the crude chandelier in the center of the room, and fired. There was a report of two pistols discharged simultane- ously, crash of broken glass as the lamps fell in pieces, several curses, and then the room was in darkness.
 Now, gentlemen. if you have any thing to say. come outside in the open, like men," he said, and stalked out.
 He and Gillespie waited outside for few minutes, but the greasers did not appear. 'I knew that they were skunks," said Jim. Let's turn in
 Thanks to this quality of absolute bravery plus an inherent trait of hon. esty, Jim soon obtained a responsible position as manager of a mine a little distance away. The position was not without its danger and troubles. Yet life somehow ran along smoothly un- til the inevitable woman came into it. She was a little peon girl who brought Jim's lunches to him from the fonda in the village out to the base of the mountain, where the su- perintendent's office was. Dolores-for such was her name always sat in one corner and eyed Jim as he ate. He was so big and so strong and yet so kind, that her little child brain could not quite understand him. One day the rain came down in sheets. It was so heavy that you could not see a distance of 20 feet. Not drops, but streams came from the clouds above. In the midst of this downpour Dolores came in dripping wet. There was smile of joy upon her face as she placed the basket of lunch on his desk. The rain had not touched it.
 Jim looked at her a moment and then went up and put his hands upon her shoulders. Why. girl" he said, you're wringin' wet"
 Tt is nothing" she answered in broken English; "the food is dry, no, senor?"
 How did you manage it?"
 With my rebozo." She showed him the narrow shawl. Water was run ming from 1t.
 And so you let your shoulders get wet that my food might be dry?"
 "Si, senor."
 He turned away and walked to his desk. He began to eat and as he did so thoughts long forgotten recurred to his mind. She seemed somehow diff. ferent from the others of her kind.
 "l say, Dolores" Then he stopped while he piled the toothpick gingerly.
 "Yes, senor?"
 T say, Dolores, how'd you like to come and live with me?"
 "Senor!"
 You can be mia novia-mi senora -mi--what you will, and we will have the padre marry us just like the grand ladies'"
 And you would not. let them beat me any longer?"
 Who's been beatin' you?"
 My brother and his friend. They are very bad, senor"
 Wal, I'll be damned! Let them try it. don't know your brother from Adam and after what you have A1JIl