Macon beacon., 1917-09-28

with cry. Rushing forward, she took
the edge Of Alaire's skirt In her hands
and kissed 1t.
"God be praised! A mlraclel" she
exclaimed. Juan, don't you see? 1t is
the beautiful sonora for whom we pray
every night of our lives. On your knees,
shameless 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, l am Juan Garcia,
whom you saved, and this is Inez," he
declared. "Heaven bless you and for
give me-"
"Now I know you," Alalre laughed,
and slipped down from her saddle.
"This 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-
planned the 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" 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 wadded
forward 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
Americans they find so you'd better be
careful. Just now fellow rode up
shouting that you were coming, but of
course didn't know"
ayes, of course. We're trying to
reach the border" Father O'Malley told
him. "Will you hide us here until we
can 60 on?"
Juan curtsled respectfully to the
priest. "My house Is yours, father"
"Can you take care Of our horses,
too, and-give US place to sleep"
Dave asked. His eyes were heavy; he
had been almost constantly in the sad
die since leaving Jonesville, and now
could hardly keep himself awake.
"Trust me-" the Mexican assured
them, confidently. IF somebody comes
I'll send them away. Oh, l can lie with
the best Of them"
The Garcias were not ordinary peo-
pie, and they lived in rather good cir
cumstances for country folk. There
were three rooms to their little house,
all of which were reasonably clean.
The food that Inez set before her
guests. too, was excellent If scanty.
Juanito, taking cue from his parents.
flung himself whole-heartedly into the
task of entertainment, and since Alaire
met his advances halfway he began,
before long, to look upon her with par
ticular favor. Once they had thorough
ly made friends, he showered her with
the most flattering attentions. His
shyness, it seemed, was but pretense
lat heart he was bold and enterpris-
ing fellow--and so, as mark Of his
admiration, he presented her with all
his personal treasures. First he
fetched and laid in her lap cigar-box
wagon with wooden wheels-evidently
the handiwork of his father. Then he
gave her, one by one, highly priced
blue bottle, a rusty Mexican spur, and
claSp-knife. There were no blades In
: the knife, but he showed her how tc
peep through tiny hole in the handle
: where was concealed the picture OF 9
J dashing Spanish bull-fghter. The ap
| preciation which these gifts evoked in
toxicated the little man and reused hin
to very madness of generosity. HI
pattered away and returned shortly
, staggering and gruntlng under thu
( weight Of another and a still greater
r offering. 1t was dog-a patient
hungry dog with very little hair. Th'
animal was alive with fleas-i
Q scratched abSent-mindedly with on
= hind paw, even while Juanito stranglet
/ 1t against his naked breast-but 1t wa
the apple of its owners eye, and whel
Inez unfeelingly banished 1t from tn
!. house Juanito began to squall Justify
= Nor could he be conciliated until Alair
h took him upon her knee and told hin
d about another boy, of precisely his owl
Y age and size, who planted u magic bea
d In his mothers dooryard, which gre,
n up and up until it reached clear to tn
4 sky, where giant lived. Juanito Gal
a cia had never heard the like. He wa
8 spellbound with delight; he held hi
n breath In ecstasy only his toes moved
n and they wriggled like ten fat, brow
tadpoles.
d In the midst of this recital Garci
e senior appeared In the door with
3, warning.
~ Conceal yourselves" he said, quicl