The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1917-08-30
Rev Beach
Copyvighr by Harper q Brothers

The man demurred Sullenly, ana be-
gan n refusal; but his wife, after a
wondering scrutiny. interrupted him
with a cry. Rushing forward. she took
the edge of Alalre's skirt In her hands
and kissed It.
"God be prnisedl A miracle |" sh.
exclaimed. "Juan, don't you see? II Is
the beautiful sonora for whom we pray
every night Of u lives. On your knees,
shameless n IL IL she who delivered
you from the prison."
Juan stared ~unbelicvingly, then his
face changed; his teeth flashed In n
smile, and, sweeping his hat from his
head. he. too. approached Alnire.
ut is! Sonora, ! am Juan Garcia.
whom you saved, and this is Inez." he
declared. "Heaven bless you and for
give me-"
"Now I know you" Alaire laughed.
and slipped down from her saddle.
This Is a happy meeting. So! You
live here, and that was little Juan who
n AWAY ms II we were going to eat
him. Wen, we are hungry. but not
iiuiSls ttouEh w u'N'uI Juuiiltp,
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 recount of her
goodness.
"Wc've fallen among friends" Alaire
told Dave and Father O'Mallcy. "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 nl-
Stayed. issued from hiding and waddled
forward to take part In tlse welcome.
Shamefacedly the elder Garcia ex-
planned his inbospltable reception OF
the travellers. 1--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 ut the
big Obispo ranch u people shot two
Americans and burned some of their
houses. They intend TO kill oil the
Americans they find. so you'd better be
careful. Just now a fellow rode up
shouting that you were coming, but Of
course l didn't know"
"Yes, of course. We're trying 70
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 u place to sleepT'
Dave asked. His eyes were heavy he
had been almost constantly In the sad
die since leaving J~onesville, and now
could hardly keep himself awake.
Trust me-" the Mexican assured
them, confidently. IF somebody comes
Il&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 lnez set before her
guests. too, was excellent II 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, 10 look upon her with par
ticular favor. Once they had thorough
ly made friends. he showered her with
the most flattering attentions. His
| shyness, II seemed, was but a pretense
at heart he was a 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 ci~gar-box
wagon with wooden wheels-evidently
the handiwork of his father. Then he
gave her, n by one, n highly priced
blue bottle. u rusty Mexican spur, and
the ruins of what had been IA splendid
clasp-knlfe. There were no blades In
the knife, but he showed her how t.
peep through II tiny hole In the handle
where was concealed the picture of O
dashing Spanish bull-ighter. The mp
probation which these gifts evoked In
toxicated the little man and reused him
to u very madness of generosity. II,
battered away and returned shortly
staggering and grunting under the
weight Of another and u still greater
Offering. 1t was a dog-a patient
hungry dog with very little hair. The
animal was alive with fiens-iI
scratched absent-mlndedly with one
hind paw, eve while Juanlto stranglet
II against his naked breast-but 1t was
the apple OF It's owners eye, and wher
IneZ unfeelingly banlshed II from the
house Juanito began to squall Justify
Nor could he be c0nciliated until Alair,
took him upon her knee and told hin
about another hoy. of precisely his owl
age and size, who planted u magic bear
In his mothers ~dooryard, which grew
up and up until 1t reached clear to tn,
sky, where II giant lived. Juanito Gar
ella had never heard the like. He wal
%spellbound with delight; he held his
breath in ecstasy only his toes moved
and they wriggled like ten fat, brown
tadpoles.