The Snowflake herald., 1917-11-16


them curiously. Later, when the sun
was well up and the world had fully
awakened, they deserted mounted
man, evidently a cowboy, riding
through the chaparral. He saw them,
too, and came toward the road, but
after a brief scrutiny he whirled his
horse and galloped off through the cac-
tus, shouting something over his shoul,
der
"This won't do" O'Malley declared,
uneasily. Il don't like the actions of
these people. Let me appeal to the
next person we meet. l can't believe
they ak hate u.s."
fNSoon they came to a rise in the road
and from the crest of this elevation be-
held ahead of them a small village of
white houses shining from the shelter
of a grove. The rancheria was perhaps
two miles away, and galloping coward
it was the vaquero who had challenged
them.
THAT'S the Rio Negro crossing"
Dave announced. Then spying a little
house squatting a short distance back
from the road, he said: "We'd better
try yonder. If they turn US down We'll
have to take to the brush"
O'Malley agreed. Eyes and we have
no time to lose. That horseman is GO
ing to rouse the town. I'm afraid
we're-in for it."
Dave nodded silently.
Leaving the beaten path, the refu-
gees threaded their way through cac-
tus and sage to a gate, entering which
they approached the straw-thatched
jacal they had seen. A naked boy baby
watched them draw near, then scuttled
for shelter, piping an alarm. A man
appeared from somewhere, at sight of
whom the priest rode forward with a
pleasant greeting. But the fellow was
unfriendly. His wife, too, emerged from
the dwelling and joined her husband in
warning Father O'Malley away.
'Let me try" Alaire begged, and
spurred her horse up to the group. She
smiled down at the country people,
saying: "We have travelled a long
way, and we're tired and hungry.
Won't you give us something to eat?
Wen pay you well for your trouble"
The man demurred sullenIy, and be-
gan refusal; but his wife, after a
wondering scrutiny, interrupted him
with a cry. Rushing forward, she took
the edge of Alaire's skirt in her hands
and kissed it.
"God be praised! A miracle" she
exclaimed. "Juan, don't you see? 1t is
the beautiful sonora for whom we pray
every night of our lives. On your knees,
one! 1t is she who delivered
you from the prison."
Juan stared unbelievingly, then his
face changed; his teeth flashed in
smile, and, sweeping his hat from his
head, he, too, approached Alaire.
''It is! Sonora, I am Juan Garcia,
whom you saved, and this is Inez," he
declared. Heaven bless you and for
give me-"
Snow know you," Alaire laughed,
and slipped down from her saddle.
''This is happy meeting. So! You
live here, and that was little Juan who
ran away as if we were going to eat
him. Well, we are hungry, but not
hungry enough to devour Juanito.'
Turning tU her companions, she ex-
planned the circumstances of her first
with these good people, and as
she talked the Garcias broke in joy
fully, adding their own account of her
goodness.
"We've fallen among friends" Alaire
told Dave and Father O'Malley. "They
will let us rest here, am sure"
Husband and wife agreed in one
voice. In fact, they were overjoyed at
an opportunity of serving her; and lit
tie Juan, his suspicious partially al
layed, issued from hiding and waddled
to take part in the welcome.
Shamefacedly the elder Garcia ex-
planned his inhospitable reception of |
the travellers. ''We hear the gringos
are coming to kill us and take our
farms. Everybody is badly frightened. |
We are driving our herds away and
hiding what we can. Yesterday at the
big Obispo ranch our people shot two
Americans and burned some of their
houses. They intend to kill all the
they find, so you'd better be
careful. Just now a fellow rode up
shouting that you were coming, but 0f
course I didn't knov-0
"Yes, of course. We're trying to
reach the border" Father O'Malley told
him. "Will you hide us here until we
can go on?"
Juan curtsied respectfully to the
priest. my house is yours, father"
"Can you take care of our horses,
too, and-give us a place to sleep?"
Dave asked. His eyes were heavy; he
had been almost constantly in the sad
lie since leaving Jonesville, and now
could hardly keep himself awake.
Trust me-" the Mexican assured