aid. She hated people who
were afraid. She was having a wonderful experience; the sort of an
experience that girls read about but didn't have, and she was going to
enjoy it.

"I forgot to ask you if you had anything to eat," said Juan Pachuca. "You
didn't, did you?"

"I had crackers," said Polly. "What did you have?"

"I was more fortunate. I found my friend at dinner," replied the young
man.

"Where were you going when you met me?"

"Eventually to my ranch, but first to find you. I did not think you would
stay with the Senora Morgan."

Polly laughed in spite of herself.

"I couldn't," she confessed. "Do you know, she seemed to think it doubtful
that Bob and Emma had come back to Athens? I wonder why?"

"Perhaps," replied the Mexican, "she thought the country not quite safe
for a young lady."

"But I thought things were settling down?"

"There will be no settling down until after the elections."

"The elections?"

"You would not understand. Americans never do."

"Perhaps some of us might if you gave us a chance; but when you go rearing
and pitching around, killing us and raiding border towns like that
murderous Villa----"

"In war there is no murder," said Juan Pachuca, calmly. "And Villa is a
friend of mine."

"Well, I can't help it, and I think it's very strange for a well brought
up boy like you to be friends with a man like Villa."

Pachuca laughed as he glanced at the girl's wrathful face.

"Why do you call me a well brought up boy?" he asked.

"Because you are, aren't you? You remind me a lot of a cousin of mine
who's just entering college."

"How old is the cousin?"

"Nineteen."

"When I was nineteen I was a colonel in the army," said Juan Pachuca,
whimsically. "That was six years ago."

"Good gracious!"

"Why not?"

"Well, in our country we don't take boys of nineteen very seriously," said
Polly, a little upset. "Did you fight much?"

"A good deal. I suppose then that young men of nineteen do not fall in
love either in your country?"

"Oh, yes, they do, but nobody pays much attention to them. We call it
puppy love."

"Puppy love!" Juan frowned. "You are a strange people--you Americans."

"Yes, I suppose we are but we like ourselves that way. Do you think that
engine of yours is all right? It sounds queer to me."

Pachuca shrugged his shoulders.

"It gives me trouble sometimes. It needs what you call an overhauling, but
it will take us to Athens."

Polly, with an ear tr