“Of course, any western, or southwestern, news first. The nearest home.”
“It’s matter that interests me, also. I’ve a brother in the southwest; a station-master on a railway. Some day, when I can, I’m going out to see him. Ha! Here’s something. I’m always attracted by ‘scare headlines,’ and this article should please you, too, since it’s all about children and you seem so fond of them.”
She let her eyes skim the column then exclaimed:
“This is a real fairy tale of wonderful happenings and touches somewhat upon your own line of business. It is forwarded by a special correspondent:
“‘Albuquerque, July 17th, 18—. Discovery of a magnificent mine of the finest anthracite coal. The discoverers are children under thirteen years of age.’”
“Humph!” exclaimed the convalescent, with doubting emphasis.
“The story of this find is as marvellous as any tale of romance and the childish discoverers are New Mexican twins. They were born somewhere on the border of the United States and Mexico and have always lived there. Their father is in the business of prospecting, or locating, mines for a syndicate of wealthy men, and had trained the children to that observation of ‘little things’ which he himself exercised. The little girl knew that a certain flowering plant grows only where coal is to be found, and her twin brother had enough knowledge of geology to verify the discovery. The father of the children, Mr. Adrian Manuel—”
The newspaper dropped from the reader’s hand, and she turned to her patient in swift alarm. In his still weak state she dreaded the effect of these unexpected tidings, but he rallied from the startled silence in which he had listened, and begged:
“Go on! Oh! go on—go on!”
“Mr. Adrian Manuel had, for some unexplained reason, left his home for a trip to the ‘north,’ leaving his children in the charge of his household, supposed to be devoted to him. Yet, in some manner, the youngsters learned that some strangers who had come to their home in their father’s absence were his ‘enemies’ and would either spirit them away from their home and him, or work them some other harm. With a faith as great as their ignorance, they set out to ‘find their father.’ Needless to say that they have failed; though the publicity given their discovery may, also, discover the lost parent.