that imposes upon Don Juan's simplicity and love for them."

"How looks he, this Americano who seeks thee?" asked Francisco.

"What care I how he looks," said Juanita, "or what he is? He may have
the four S's, for all I care. Yet," she added with a slight touch of
coquetry, "he is not bad to look upon, now I recall him."

"Had he a long moustache and a sad, sweet smile, and a voice so gentle
and yet so strong that you felt he ordered you to do things with out
saying it? And did his eye read your thoughts?--that very thought that
you must obey him?"

"Saints preserve thee, Pancho! Of whom dost thou speak?"

"Listen, Juanita. It was a year ago, the eve of Natividad, he was in the
church when I sang. Look where I would, I always met his eye. When the
canticle was sung and I was slipping into the sacristy, he was beside
me. He spoke kindly, but I understood him not. He put into my hand gold
for an aguinaldo. I pretended I understood not that also, and put it
into the box for the poor. He smiled and went away. Often have I seen
him since, and last night, when I left the Mission, he was there again
with Father Pedro."

"And Father Pedro, what said he of him?" asked Juanita.

"Nothing." The boy hesitated. "Perhaps--because I said nothing of the
stranger."

Juanita laughed. "So thou canst keep a secret from the good father when