The Huttig news., 1917-06-23

II was his first display or emotion since Father OMalley had united them.
 There were few villages along the road they followed, and because of the lateness of the hour all were dark. hence the party passed through with- out exciting attention except from an occasional wakeful dog. But as morn ing came and the east began to glow Dave told the priest:
 We've got to hide out during the day or we'll get into trouble. Besides, these women must be getting hungry"
 T fear there is something feminine about me-" confessed the little man. I'm famished, too."
 At the next rancho they came to they applied for shelter, but were denied; in fact, the owner cursed them so rpnndly for being Americans that they were glad to ride onward. A mile or two farther along they met cart the driver of which refused to answer their greetings. As they passed out of his sight they saw that he had halted his lean oxen and was staring after them curiously. Later, when the sun was we'll up and the world had fully awakened, they deserted a mounted man, evidently cowboy, riding through the chaparral. He saw them, too, and came toward the road, but after brief scrutiny he whirled his horse and galloped off through the cac- tus, shouting something over his shoul- der.
 "This won't do," OMalley declared. uneasily. .I don't like the actions of these people. Let me appeal to the next person we meet. 1 can't believe they all hate us"
 Soon they came to rise in the road, and from the crest of this elevation be- held ahead of them small village of white houses shining from the shelter of grove. The raneheria was perhaps two miles away, and galloping toward it was the vaquero who had challenged them.
 That's the Rio Negro crossing" i" Dave announced. Then spying a little house squatting a short distance back from the road, he said: "We'd better try wonder. If they turn us down we'll have to take to the brush"
 OMalley agreed. "Yes, 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 gnte, 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 Fhher 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 eatf We'll pay you well for your trouble"
 The man demurred sullenly, and be- gan refusal but his wife, after wondering scrutiny, interrupted him with a cry. Rushing forward, she took the edge of Alaires skirt in her hands and kissed it.
 God be praised! A miracle!" she q the beautiful sonora for whom we pray every night of our lives. On your knees. shameless one It 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-"
 "Now I 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 to her companions, she ex- 1 plained 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 waddled forward to take part in the welcome.
 Shamefacedly the elder Garcia ex- l plained his inhospitable reception of the travellers. "We hear the griIgos are coming to kill us and take our farms. Everybody is badly frightened. We are driving our herds away and