"Good morning, Señor (sā-nyōr´) Juan," said the little girl. Then, timidly she held up the faded old cape. "Will you buy this from me?" she asked. "My grandfather is ill, and I must have money to pay for food and medicine."
Juan looked at the cape. He said nothing, but his mouth twitched as though it wanted to smile. He turned the cape inside out and stared at something he saw.
"The name 'Tony' is printed in ink on the inside of this cape," he said.
But Pilar was not interested. She only looked up at him and repeated earnestly, "Will you buy it, señor? Will you?"
Juan shook his head. "No, Pilar," he answered. "I cannot buy it because it is worth nothing to me."
Then as he saw the cloud cover her smile, he added, "But it may be worth a great deal to you if you will send it away!"
"If I will send it away, señor?" Pilar thought that the good Juan must be teasing her. "What do you mean?"
"I mean," he said, "that you must send it to America to the one whose name is written here."
He pointed to the name Tony. It meant nothing until Juan explained.
| ALCAZAR GARDENS, SEVILLE |