Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-04-13

every HIGHT VI our ilNVh. VII your kHccS,
shameless one 1t is she who delivered
you from the prison.
Juan stared unbelieyingly, then his
face changed; his teeth flashed IN II
smile, and, sweeping his hat from his
head. he. too, approached Alaire.
ut is! Sonora, am Juan Garcia.
whom you saved, and this is IneZ." he
declared. Heaven bless you and for
give me-" ~
"Now know you" Alaire laughed,
and slipped down from her saddle.
"1his is happy meeting. SO. You
live here, and that was little Juan who
ran away as II we were going TO eat
him. Well. we are hungry, but not
hungry enough to devour Juanito.'
Turning to her companions. she ex-
plainetlvthe circumstances of her first
meeting 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" Alairc
told Dave and Father O'Nlallcy. "They
will let us rest here am sure"
Husband and wife agreed in one
voice. In fact, they were overjoyed ut
an opportunity Of serving her; and lit.
tie Juan. his suspicious partially al
laycd. issued from hiding and waddlcd
forward to take part IN the welcome.
Shameface,lly the elder Garcia ex.
planned his inhospltable reception OF
the travellers. I'VE 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 ut the
big Oblspo ranch our people shot two
Americans and burned some of their
| ronscs. They intend to KIN MI thn
Americans they find, 80 you'd better be
CAREFUL. Just now d fellow rode IN
shouting thut yon were coming, but OF
course I didn't know :" IN
"Yos, OF course. We're trying to
reach the border" Father OMnliey told
him. "Will you hide us here until We
can GO on:"
Juan cllrtsled respectfully to the
priest. MY house is yours, father"
"Can yon take cure Of our horses,
too aud--giye us n place to sleepy'
Dave asked. His eyes were heavy; he
had been almost constantly in the sad
die since leaving JDnesville, and now
could hardly keep himself awake.
"Trust me- the Mexican assured
them, confidently. IF somebody comes
I'll sen,l them away. Oh, can lie with
the best OF tlicm.' t.a ri,
The Garcns were not ordinary peo-
pie, and they lived in rather good cir
cunstances for country folk. There
were three rooms to their little house,
all of which were reasonably clean
The food that Incz set before her
guests. too, was excellent If scnnty.
Junnito. taking cue from his parents
flung himself whole-lleartedly into the
task o. entertainment. and since Alaire
met his advances halfway he began
before long, to look upon her with par
tiGular favor. Once they had thorough
~ male friends, he showered her Will
the Most flattel'ing attentions. Hi.
sllyness. II seemed, was but Il pretenst
at heart he was II bold and enterpris
Ing fellow-und so. as mark OF his
admiration. he presY,ted her with al
his personal treasures. First n
fetched and laid In her lap h clgar-bo,
wagon with wooden wheels--evldentl.
the handiwork of his fathcr Then III
gave her, one by one, n highly price
blue bottle, rusty Mexican spur, AM
: the ruins of what had been splendit
clnsp-knife. There were no blades II
the knife, hut he showed her how 4
peep through tiny hole In the handle
where was concealed the picture of
dashing Spanish bullhghter. The AZ
/ probation which these gifts evoked IN
! tOxicated the little man and reused hin
to very madness Of generosity. II
pattered away ana returned shortly
staggering and gruntlng under tn
weight Of another and still greate
Offering. 1t was dogs-a patient
hungry dog with very little hair TIL
animal was alive with feas--i
scratched absent-mindedly with ON
, hind paw, even while Juanito strangle
/, II against his naked breast-but 1t wa
, the apple Of Its owners eye, and whe
Inex unfeellngly bnnlshed 1t from tn
house Juanito began to squat lustH!
! Nor could he be concliated until Alair
/, took him upon her knee and told hin
|, about another boy. of precisely his ow
nge and size, who planted n magic bea
, In his mothers dooryard, which gre'
i up and up until II reached clear to III
sky, where giant lived. Juanito Ga
!, cia had never henrd the like. He WI
spellbound with delight; he held hi
, breath IN ecstasy; only his toes move,
and they wriggcd like ten fat, brow
!. tadpoles.
In the midst of this recital tlnrcl
senior appeared IN The door with
a .-----@ -