Charlevoix county herald., 1912-05-25
Loves Border

By JEAN DICKERSON

She surprised him by replying In
his own language.
II have a right here!" she breathed
In his ear. "A better right than you
have!"
II hope So" he said fervently; but
you know the American troops are
camped below here on the plain?"
"Ah!" she cried bitterly, do / not
know? Have | not been avoiding
their prowling bands for three days"
You are Mexican?" asked Con.
verse.
And If / am"
IF you are Mexican you are in
dangerous situation here on the bor-
ders where there is continual fight
ing. You are not alone?" He spoke
in a brisk, matter-of-fact way, with
an undertone of kindness.
mo, am not alone" she answered
calmly. MY grandfather is within
he is sick, perhaps dying. When they
shelled the city our home was de-
[ stroyed and We fed. We hoped TO
cross the river into the states. We
have relatives in FL Paso, but we have
had TO avoid the rebels as well as the
American troops. We lost our way
and have hidden in this ruined hut
since yesterday morning. My grand
father has had little to eat-I came
out now to seek something. There.
that is ALL" She threw out her hand
with a defiant gesture. do what you
will"
THE first thing to do is to get some
thing to eat" said Converse decisive
| ly after that, if you will trust TO
my guidance l will escort you into the
American camp and see that you
reach FL Paso at once"
"You are very kind, SIR" said the
girl brokenly. 81 am afraid l am
severe-rude-bu we have been
alarmed and harassed and earlier this
evening our retreat was almost dis
covered"
81 was the one who startled you
then-that is why came back again,
said Converse in awkward explana'
ton.
How did you know-how did you
guess that we were not sharpshoot-
| eIS Sue dShtu, W ~ N'N
you not investigate?
"T don't know" he replied slowly.
'It is we'll for us that you waited
until you were alone" she said in low
thrilling tones that stirred him
strangely. Another might not have
been so kind as you have shown your
self to be-"
"It is nothing" declared Converse
bruskly. May / see your GRANDPA.
ther?"
"Certainly-he is within, very sick"
She led the way to the tiny hut whose
roof was half torn away. Through
this great aperture the moonlight
flowed brightly. lighting up a grass
bed on the ground whereon an old
man lay covered carefully with sew
eral blankets.
Converse bent over the old man
and addressed him in hating Spanish.
To his surprise the refugee answered
him in fluent English and in few
words substantiated the words of his
granddaughter and added a brief ex-
planation.
His name was Juan Barros, re-
tired merchant of JuareZ. He was a
widower with this one granddaughter
who had been educated in the United
States. They had lived happily to-
gether until the revolution had
brought hostilities to their doors. The
loss of their home followed and now
he was on his way to FL Paso where
he had a brother; once there he
would make home for himself and
Almeda. If the kindly Americana
would help them-the old mans voice
had failed here.
Blake Converse did help them
across the border and delivered them
into the hands of an escort which
would see that they reached FL Paso
before the close of another day. When
beautiful Almeda's grateful glance en-
countered Converse's ardent eyes
there flashed the spark that indicated
that two more unwary ones had ven-
tured within the borderland of love.
1t was not surprising that the
young soldier should obtain leave OF
absence and hurry to Ell Paso to make
ceremonious inquiry concerning the
health of Almeda's grandfather. and
such was Blake's solicitude for the
old Mexican and so warm were the
greetings that he received from both
the refugees that he was encouraged
to repeat these calls until old Juan
Barros smiled into his beard and was
ready with his blessing upon them
long before Blake found courage TO
ask it.