The Washington times., 1939-01-24
Bv CHARLEs ]. McGUIRK

by OdAhAG0 D. NO1OAASAN
THAT Pancho was an hombre
l. for you! Soldier. Hero.
And one of the greatest practl-
cal jokers in all Spain.
Men liked him, but husbands
and fathers hated him: They
locked up their wives and daugh-
ters when he was near because
women adored him. A look from
Pancho and a girl would grow
dizzy.
She would forget what she had
been told about men and their
way with girls. "But this Is Pan
cho," she would tell herself. HE
is different" Rut Pancho was not
different. He was only worse.
That Pancho!
Take his romance with Girls,
tina. That was droll. Cr1stlna
lived and worked in the vineyards
and olive groves of Castillo. not lar
out of Madrid. A peasant girl but
nature had fashioned her like an
houri in a Moor's dream OF Para
disc.
COULD HAVE CHOICE
She could have had her choice
even of the dons for she had re-
fused many invitations from the
hacienda itself. But the sun was
not in her blood. She tended the
hut of her grandfather with whom
she lived and worked among the
vines and olive trees at harvest.
And she was betrothed to Juan
SpadilloS.
Juan was a little one, under
sized and thin. Not strong, but
rich. He owned an olive grove. 1t
was this, the old women whispered,
that had won Juan's suit for him.
Only q week before their we'd
ding, Pancho came singing and
joking and fighting out Of Madrid
with other pickers to gather in the
olives.
One night, Juan, who admired
him very much because he was
everything Juan was not, took him
to the patio and together they
watched CriStina as she danced to
the castanets. Pancho's eyes fol
lowed her until they found hers
and held them. Cristina grew dizzy.
THAT girl dancing" Pancho said
to Juan, who is she? What is her
name?"
(which one?" Juan quavered
because he knew and was afraid.
which one?" Pancho laughed.
''Dios! There is only one there.
That deer among those cows. The
one with the night in her hair and
the stars in her eyes. Who is
She?"
THAT is Cristina, my affianced." j"
Juan told him severely. II have an
understanding with her grand
father. We will marry when the
grapes and the olives are in"
PANCHO DISCARDS
"You?" Pancho's eyes went over
his thin, undersized body. But
this is a sin against God. A dwarf
like you for a Juicy little one like
that. Per Oios! I shall save her
from such fate. Juan, she is for
me. She is mine"
Juan's eyes hardened. His hand
slid softly to where his knife was
buried at the narrow belt.
"She is mine," he repeated SIM
ply, before Goo. I shall protect
my own"
But Pancho paid him no atten-
tion. When the dance was over he
staggered among the dancing
girls. He pushed them aside. He
presented himself before Cristina.
Il am Pancho," he said. II love
you"
Cristina stared at him and
found her senses swimming again.
The blood Of the Andulasian is
hot. Love comes suddenly. sweep
ing down upon its victim like a
wolf upon a lamb. She looked for
Juan. He was by her side.
"She is mine," he repeated sui
lenly. Come, Cristina, will take
you home to your grandfather. +"
"Oh, Blessed Mother" she said,
"do not let happen what is in my
heart to happen"
But her prayers did not avail.
And so she scorned little Juan
and drove him from the hut when
he reminded her that they were
betrothed.
Pancho took her up to heaven
in his strong arms. And within a
month, he threw her into hell
when he laughed and told her
that this was all in fun, that he
was too fond Of freedom ever to
become a husband.
Before the olives were out Of
the presses, he was gone and so.
for all that mattered, was the
world for Cristlna.
She did not hear Juan the
night he came to the hut and
touched her as sne lay weeping
beneath the crucifix over her bed.
"Chiquita," he said gently, sit
is forgiven. Pancho, that devil is
gone. I have given this much
thought. It must have been the
will Of God. Come. The olives
must be pressed. Then you and I
will marry"
She looked up at him with eyes
from which had gone all light, all
laughter. Juan" she told him,