a bottle and we'll fix up a dose of
pain-killer for our worthy host's mother."

Then he turned to Don Nicolas. "Cierto, senor," he said with an air of
confidence. "I have a remedy which I know to be unfailing for any
disease."

He disappeared into the house, from which he emerged again in a few
moments with an empty cola bottle. Washing this clean in the river, he
partly filled it with water. Then he poured in the small bottle of
root-beer extract which Harris handed him, and added a few grains of
quinine. Shaking the mixture thoroughly, he carried it to Don
Nicolas.

"Be very careful, senor," he admonished, giving him the bottle. "It is
a medicine extremely powerful and immediate in its action. Give the
senora a small teaspoonful every hour. By morning you will notice a
marked change."

Don Nicolas's eyes lighted with joy, and his gratitude poured forth in
extravagant expressions.

With the first indications of approaching day Rosendo was abroad,
rounding up his cargadores, who were already bickering as to their
respective duties, and arranging the luggage in the canoes for the
river trip. Additional boats and men had been secured; and Don Nicolas
himself expressed his intention of accompanying them as far as his
hacienda, Maria Rosa, a day's journey up-stream.

"It was there that I hid during the last revolution," he said, "when
the soldiers burned the village and cut off the ears and fingers of
our women for their rings. Ah, senores, you can not know how we
suffered! All my goods stolen or burned--my family scattered--my
_finca_ destroyed! We lived two years at Maria Rosa, not daring to
come down the river again. We wore the skins of animals for clothing.
_Caramba_!" His eyes burned fiercely as he spoke, and his hands opened
and closed convulsively. He was a representative of that large class
of _rurales_ upon whom the heaviest burdens, the greatest suffering,
and the most poignant sorrow attending a political revolution always
fall.

"But, senor!" he exclaimed, suddenly turning to Reed, "I had all but
forgotten! My mother, she sends for you. She would see the kind
American whose remedies are so wonderful. For, senor, she rose from
her bed this morning restored! And you must leave us another bottle of
the remedy--at whatever price, senor!"

Reed gazed at the man uncomprehendingly, until at length the truth
dawned upon him. His root-beer remedy had done its work! Then a broad
grin mantled his face; but he