The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-09-15

fully, adding their own account Of her
goodness.
We've fallen among friends" Alaire
told Dave and Father O'MaIley. 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
forward to take part in the welcome.
Shamefacedly the elder Garcia ex-
planned his inhospitabIe reception OF
the travellers. I'VE hear the grfngos
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 a fellow rode up
shouting that you were coming, but Of
course didn't know"
Eyes, 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 sleepT'
Dave asked. His eyes were heavy; he
had been almost constantly in the sad
die since leaving JonesvilIe, and now
could hardly keep himself awake.
''Trust me-" the Mexican assured
! -
I'll send them away. Oh, 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, WIS 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 1attering attentions. His
shyneSS, it seemed, was but a pretense
at heart he was bold and enterpris-
ing fellow-and so, as a mark Of his
admiration, he presented her with all
his personal treasures. First he
fetched and laid in her lap a cigar-bOx
wagon with wooden wheels-evidently
the handiwork of his father. Then he
gave her, one by one, a highly priced
blue bottle, a rusty Mexican spur, and
the ruins Of what had been a splendid
cIasp-knife. There were no blades in
the knife, but he showed her how TO
peep through a tiny hole in the handle,
where was concealed the picture Of a
dashing Spanish bulI-fghter. The ap-
probation which these gifts evoked in
! toxicated the little man and reused him
to a very madness of generosity He
battered away and returned shortly,
staggering and grunting under the
weight of another and a still greater
offering. 1t was a dOg-a patient
hungry dog with very little hair. The
animal was alive with feas-it
scratched absent-mindedly with one
hind paw, even while JuanitO strangled
it against his naked breast-but it was
the apple of its owners eye, and when
Inez unfeelingly banished it from the
house Juanito began to squan Justify
Nor could he be conciliated until Alaire
took him upon her knee and told him
about another boy, of precisely his OWL
age and size, who planted magic bean
in his mothers doOryard, which grew
up and up until it reached clear to the
sky, where a giant lived. Juanito Gar
cha had never heard the like. He was
spellbound with delight; he held his
breath in ecstasy only his toes moved
and they wriggled like ten fat, brown
tadpoles.
In the midst of this recital Carols
senior appeared in the door with &
warning.
Conceal yourselves" he said, quick
" Some of our neighbors are com
ing this way" Inez led her guests in
to the bedchamber, d bare room with 8
dirt floor, from the window of which
they watched Juan go TO meet a grouI
Of horsemen. Inez went out, too, and
Joined in the parley. Then, after 6
time. the riders galIOped away
When Alaire, having watched the
party out OF sight, turned from the
window she found that Dave had col
Iapsed upon a chair and was sleeping
his limbs relaxed, his body saggi1g.
poor fellow, he's done up" Father
O'NalIey exclaimed
: Eyes; he hasn't slept for days" she
whispered. Help me-" With the as
sistance of Dolores they succeeded ii
lifting Dave to the bed, but he hall
reused himself. Lie down, dear,
AIaire told him. "Close your eyes FOL
few minutes. We're safe now.
Somebody has to keep watch" h'
muttered, thickly, and tried TO fight Of
his fatigue. But he was Ike drunken
man
, "T'm not sleepy; I'll stand guard.
) the priest volunteered, and, disregard
? / ing further protest, he helped Alair'
!. remove Dawes coat
I Seeing that the bed was nothing
more than a board platform covere'
5 with straw mating, AlaIre folded tn
: garment for a pillow; as she did so {
5 handful of soiled, frayed letters spilie'
out upon the floor.
!, srRest now, while You have chance,
e she begged OF her husband -JuSt 70