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Show j5E5H5H5Z5Z5E5Z5E5ESH5E5Z5H5H53 (jf llSj ' ifjT Y By STEPHEN ALLEN REYNOLDS T T AN RAH AN, the big-fisted, big-i big-i " hearted smeiter boss of the closed-down plant of the Dos HefTinanos Company, sat on the winding wind-ing steps which led to the shrine of Guadalupe, and alternately cursed the snow-capped scenery and the policy of his board of directors. It was the third month, of inactivity for the restless Irisfimerican, and although he was ns yet on full pay,he chafed under the orders which kept him cooped up in the capital of the revolution-scarred land. No one being within earshot at the time, he lifted his voice to the great sails of a stone ship near by, and addressed ad-dressed the long-lost mariner whose memorial it was. "Sancho Panzo, or Joe Gutierrez : or whatever your name might be isn't it a lot of old women that own the Dos Ilermanos? And shouldn't they be doin' croshayin' Instead of bossln real men and ixpensive mining machinery?" For a few minutes Ilanrahan gave audible vent to his feelings; then he saw two women approaching from the fountain at the base of the hill and tapered off to silence. Soon they came pattering along in their rope-soled sandals, san-dals, and drew so near that In one of them the American recognized 'the planchadora who called weekly at the hotel for his soiled linen. Fat, despite, the .ies, yet muscled like Ilanrahan uself, she came waddling ponder- ously up the steps, one hand on tlio s cotton camiseta which covered her heaving bosom. But scarcely a glance did Hanrahan bestow upon his washerwoman, for beside be-side her strode a starry-eyed, bare-ankled bare-ankled young peon maiden who clutched something tightly in .her slim brown hand. Her lips were moving as though In prayer. Her glorious eyes were fixed on the shrines ahead, but dropped modestly mod-estly as Hanrahan hailed the woman with her. Pleased at being noticed by the refi-headed refi-headed gringo who spoke Spanish so well, the woman tarried while the girl waited a short distance away. "It Is my daughter, senor; my Manuelito," Man-uelito," the washerwoman explained when the American had asked who the girl was and whither they were bound. "She bears In her hand a picture of Jose, her novio, a soldier at the barracks. bar-racks. He ls to be shot at sunset tomorrow." to-morrow." A subdued moan came from the girl as she overheard the last .word, "man-yana," "man-yana," but she stiffened bravely and pressed the little picture to her lips. "Toll me about It," said Hanrahan In a rough voice that hid his true feelings. feel-ings. The woman needed no urging. Her hands fluttered from her bosom, indicated indi-cated the girl, then pointed at the barracks bar-racks two miles distant on the plain at the edge of the city, where the houses began to thicken. "Tlicy were to. marry ia Julj" began; "but only last week Jose killed with his bayonet a seigeant who picked a quarrel with him over my Manuellta. It was a fair fight, they ,say; but one life must pay for the other. Jose is in prison. Tomorrow he must die." "No, no, senor!" the girl broke in. "He cannot die!" The tears streaming unheeded down her face, she dre"w closer and knelt at the feet of the American. "Jose will be free," she went on, "for now mother and I go to burn candles and pray to Our Lady of Guadalupe. Have you seen all the crutches left by the cripples she has cured because they prayed believing?" Hanrahan nodded as he looked Into the brown eyes of the peon maiden who expected a miracle. There was an unfamiliar un-familiar tightness about the neckband of his shirt as she continued: "Then surely, senor, if Our Lady can do these things, she can free my Jose. It should be easier, for his eyes are sharp and he is not crippled. And then then you will give work to Jose in the mines, for my mother says you are rich and generous." Belief, absolute and unbounded, shone in the dark eyes that searched Hanrahan's, and almost without pausing paus-ing to reason out ways and means the big-hearted smelter boss promised life and work for the condemned novio. For half an hour or more the Ameri- women returned from the shrine. Then he descended the hill with them and "paid the fares on the Cleveland-built car. The girl's face was radiant now, and as the trolley 'car rattled by the barracks bar-racks she pointed through the gate and indicated the open place where men were lined up and shot. "I could not bear to look at that ' place before today, senor," she said, "but now all will be well." Hanrahan looked at the scarred wall, bullet-marked and ominous, then at the shining face' beside him. Again he felt the unfamiliar pressure of his neckband, and turned away to mutter In his beard. Tho friends of the smelter boss missed him at the Jockey Club that evening, eve-ning, but early the next morning he was ' in evidence in the breakfast-room of the Fonda Reale, a morning paper propped up before him. A gleam of interest showed m his eyes as he read a brief article to the effect that the governor of tho federal district had signed the death warrant of Private Jose Gomez of the Fourth Regiment of Infantry, the soldier who had fought with and killed his superior officer, and that the execution would take place that evening at the usual time and place. "But will ut?" Hanrahan asked himself softly. His breakfast finished, he folded the newspaper, left the hotel, and in the Colli vmnc u-ro. hpiir-rt an open victoria and was driven to the barrio, where lived his washerwoman. A low-toned conference followed the greetings exchanged between him and the mother of Manuelita, and Hanrahan thanked the circumstances which had sent the girl away on an errand. Her faith would not be shaken, he told himself. "Do exactly as I tell you," were his parting words. "The girl must stay here. You will call at the cuartel as the sun sets." As the undersized horse sped on toward the barracks, the smelter boss leaned back in the victoria and smiled as he jingled some gold coins In his trouper pocket. And the smile was still on his face when a little later he spoke confidentially confiden-tially with one Pedro Ojeda, sergeant-major sergeant-major of infantry, but once foreman on the third level of the Dos Ilermanos Company's La Gloria. As evening drew on there was a roll of drums at the barracks, a fanfare of bug! k, then an ominous period of silence, si-lence, followed by the crash of musketry. mus-ketry. The American's hand shook slightly as ho stroked his red benrd and watched the barracks gate. The horso hitched to tho open carriage stamped impatiently as the chill of evening came into the mountain air. The driver slouched on his scat and puffed at his cij-:arrillo. Five minutes or so passed. Then Hanrahan saw coming through the ii ii ii ii II II II 1 1 II II II 1 CJ J u &J CJ LJ C2 Cj gate what appeared to be an Indian woman with a band around her head that helped support a heavy burden on her bent buck. As she drew closer tho American saw that the band consisted of a soldier's belt, attached to the top of a coarse sack which nearly touched tho dust of tho road. It was plain that her burden was no light one even for her great strength. In spite of his nerve the smelter boss could not bring himself to face- his washerwoman at first. But aa she gained the double-sealed carriage and heaved tho sack between the seats Hanrahan made bold to look at hor. Sho was smiling. Presently she leaned toward the American and whispered softly: "it was as you said, senor. Not a bullet touched him. He dropped and lay still, as ho was told. And he breathes easily in the sack, as you planned." "Hush;" Ilanrahan cautioned softly, soft-ly, as the driver glanced curiously around at the unusual spectacle of a gringo in clu:-;e converse with a woman of the people. "And the conian-dante," conian-dante," the American went on In a , louder tone; "ho wan kind to let you 'have the body without dulay." "He was kind, indeed, senor," said the woman. "ThanUs to you." Hanrahan grinned in the golden dusk, and siithed as he watched the hor.v.j patter away down the road to the barrio where dwelt tho girl who believed be-lieved in miracles. |