The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1912-07-11
n his sar. "A better rish& than ~

]
you know tho 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 I am"
III you are Mexican you are in .
dangerous situation here on tho Dor.
ders where there Is continual fight.
Ing. You are not alone?" He spoke
In brisk, matter-of-fact way, with
an undertone Of kindness.
mo, I am not alone" she answered
calmly. my grandfather u within
he Is sick, perhaps dying. When they
shelled the city our homo was de-
stroyed and We fed. We hoped to
cross the river into tho states. We
have relatives in I'll Paso, but w have
had to avoid tho rebels as we'll % 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-1 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
~. AFTER that, If you will trust to
J my guidance will escort you into the
American camp and SEQ that you
reach Ell Paso at once"
''You are very kind, SIR" said tho
girl brokenly. II am afraid I am
severe we have been
alarmed and harassed and earlier this
evening our retreat was almost dis.
covered"
II 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-
ers?" she asked, surprised. why did
you not investigator
II don't know" he replied slowly.
II don't know why 1 didn't"
1T is well 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-"
1T 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 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 q few
words substantiated the words Of his
granddaughter and added . brief ex-
plantation.
His name was Juan Barros, . r.
tired merchant Of Juarez. He was Z
widower with this one granddaughter
who had been educated in the United
States. They had lived happily to-
Eether until the revolution had
brought hostilities to their doors. The
loss Of their home followed and now
he was on his way to Ell Paso where
he had brother: once there he
would make q 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 tho
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.