s her idol, the one child
for whose presence she continually pined, the one human creature to
whose will and happiness she delighted to sacrifice her own. When she
heard his voice she rose quickly, crying out:

"A miracle! A miracle! Grace of God and Mary, a miracle! Only this
morning, my precious, my boy! I asked the Holy Mother to pity my
sorrows, and send you to me. I vow to Mary a new shrine. I vow to keep
it, and dress it for one whole year. I will give my opal ring to the
poor. Oh, Juan! Juan! Juan I am too blessed."

Her words were broken into pieces by his kisses. He knelt at her knees,
and stroked her face, and patted her hands, and did all with such
natural fervor and grace, that anything else, or anything less, must
have seemed cold and unfilial.

"Come, my beautiful mother, and see my friend. I have told him so much
about you; and poor Dare has no mother. I have promised him that you
will be his mother also. Dare is so good--the finest fellow in all the
world; come down and see Dare, and let us have a real Mexican dinner,
madre. I have not tasted an olla since I left you."

She could not resist him. She made Rachela lay out her prettiest dress,
and when Jack said "how beautiful your hair is, mother; no one has hair
like you!" she drew out the great shell pins, and let it fall like a
cloud around her, and with a glad pride gave Rachela the order to get
out her jewelled comb and gilded fan and finest mantilla. And oh! how
happy is that mother who has such pure and fervent admiration from her
son; and how happy is that son to whom his mother is ever beautiful!

Jack's presence drove all the evil spirits out of the house. The windows
were thrown open; the sunshine came in. He was running after Isabel, he
was playing the mandolin; his voice, his laugh, his quick footstep, were
everywhere.

In spite of the trouble in the city, there was a real festival in
the house. The Senora came down in her sweetest temper and her finest
garments. She arranged Jack's dinner herself, selected the dishes and
gave strict orders about their serving. She took Jack's friend at once
into her favor, and Dare thought her wonderfully lovely and gracious. He
sat with her on the balcony, and talked of Jack, telling her how clever
he was, and how all his comrades loved him for his sunny temper and
affectionate heart.

It was a happy dinner, lengthened out with merry conversation. Every one
thought that a few hours might be given to