ndon your journey? No. Do you sit down--do you
weep? No. Do you lose time? You do not."

"Excuse me," I said, "but when is there another train?"

"That must depend," said the little official, and as he
spoke he emerged from his house and stood beside me on
the platform fumbling among his railway guides. "The
first question is, do you propose to take a _de facto_
train or a _de jure_ train?"

"When do they go?" I asked.

"There is a _de jure_ train," continued the stationmaster,
peering into his papers, "at two p.m. A very good
train--sleepers and diners--one at four, a through
train--sleepers, observation car, dining car, corridor
compartments--that also is a _de jure_ train--"

"But what is the difference between the _de jure_ and
the _de facto?_"

"It's a distinction we generally make in Mexico. The _de
jure_ trains are those that ought to go; that is, in
theory, they go. The _de facto_ trains are those that
actually do go. It is a distinction clearly established
in our correspondence with Huedro Huilson."

"Do you mean Woodrow Wilson?"

"Yes, Huedro Huilson, president--_de jure_--of the United
States."

"Oh," I said. "Now I understand. And when will there be
a _de facto_ train?"

"At any moment you like," said the little official with
a bow.

"But I don't see--"

"Pardon me, I have one here behind the shed on that side
track. Excuse me one moment and I will bring it."

He disappeared and I presently saw him energetically
pushing out from behind the shed a little railroad lorry
or hand truck.

"Now then," he said as he shoved his little car on to
the main track, "this is the train. Seat yourself. I
myself will take you."

"And how much shall I pay? What is the fare to the
interior?" I questioned.

The little man waved the idea aside with a polite gesture.

"The fare," he said, "let us not speak of it. Let us
forget it How much money have you?"

"I have here," I said, taking out a roll of bills, "fifty
dollars--"

"And that is _all_ you have?"

"Yes."

"Then let _that_ be your fare! Why should I ask more?
Were I an American, I might; but in our Mexico, no. What
you have we take; beyond that we ask nothing. Let us
forget it. Good! And, now, would you prefer to travel
first, second, or third class?"

"First class please," I said.

"Very good. Let it be so." Here the little man took from
his pocket a red label marked FIRST CLASS and tied it on
the edge of the hand car. "It is more c