"What do you know about that?" he murmured. "Just like a movie, ain't it? She is that woman you were traveling with, Janice—the one I thought tried to swipe your money. And maybe she did try to at that!"
"Hush!" begged his cousin.
"Eet ees the Señora General De Soto Palo," hissed Juan. "She a gre't la-dee—huh?"
For a full minute the black-eyed woman stared at Janice and the latter wondered if the Señora General Palo would admit their acquaintanceship. They had been so "goot friends" on the train; would the señora acknowledge it now?
"Ach!" exclaimed the woman, her rather stern countenance blossoming into a smile. "You are a wonderful girl, my dear—soh! You have made your way here—through this so-strange country and with all against you. Have you saved your money from robbery, too?" and her black eyes began to twinkle.
"Oh, Madam!" murmured Janice.
"Our money's safe all right all right," put in Marty.
Madam ignored him. "Come up here, my dear," she commanded in her full contralto voice, still smiling at the American girl.
Janice tumbled off the burro and hastily mounted the steps to the platform. The young officer who had led them here, and others of his ilk, stared from a distance and twirled their mustachios. Marty grinned at Juan.
"I guess we got a friend at court, eh, Juan?" he said in a whisper. "It takes our Janice to get us out of scrapes—believe me!"