The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-04-30

/
have"
81 hone 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?" &ked Con-
verse.
And if am"
IF you are Mexican you are In a
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.
NO. | am not alone" she answered
calmly. "AIy 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 we'll 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 defiant gesture. "Do what you
will"
"The first thing to do is to get some.
thing to eat" said Converse decisive
ly. "After that. II you will trust to
my guidance I will escort you into the
American camp and see that you
reach Ell Paso at once"
"You are very kind. SIR" said the
girl brokenly. II am afraid ! am
severe-rude-but we have been
alarmed and harassed and earlier this
evening our retreat was almost dis
covered"
T was the one who startled you
then-that is why came back again. "
said Converse in awkward explana'
ton
"fIow did you know-how did you
guess that we were not sharpshoot'
ers?" she asked. surprised. "Why did
you not investigator"
T don't know" he replied slowly.
81 don't know why didn't"
1T 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 80 kind as you have shown your
self to be-"
at is nothing" declared Converse
bruskly. MAY see your GRANDPA
ther?"
"Certainly-he 10 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 grass
bed on the ground wherein 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 a few
words substantiated the words of his
granddaughter and added brief ex
PLANTATION.
His name was Juan Barros, a re
tired merchant Of Juarez. He was q
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 hi
would make a home for himself ant
Almeda. II the kindly Americana
would help them-the old mans voice
had failed here.
Blake Converse did help then
across the border and delivered then
into the hands Of an escort which
would see that they reached FL Past
before the close of another day. Whef
beautiful Almeda's grateful glance en-
countered Converse's ardent eye
there flashed the spark that indicated
that two more unwary ones had ven
tured within the borderland of love
1t was not surprising that tn
' young soldier should obtain leave o
absence and hurry to FL Paso to MAX
a ceremonious inquiry concerning tn
health of Almeda's grandfather. an,
!. such was Rlake's solicitude for tn
old Mexican and SO warm We're tn
greetings that he received from bot
the refugees that he was encourage
to repeat these calls until old Jua
: Barros smiled into his beard and wa
ready with his blessing upon ther
long before Blake found courage I
ask It.
AAA EaaAs