“It isn’t so very far out of the way,” continued Alison, “and it is much more sheltered. We shall not have the wind in our faces at any rate.” So they turned off and followed the edge of the woods in another direction till the village of adobe huts was before them. CHAPTER XVII ALISON AWAKES An hour later the little Mexican settlement was left behind. Alison had seen Brigida, had given her warning and had received tearful thanks and repeated blessings. “You must get him away from there at once,” Alison had told her, “or he may be discovered.” And Brigida had assured her that there were friends and relatives who would go to the assistance of Carlos. So the girl came out of the stuffy adobe house where chickens roosted on the chairs, a game-cock, tied by the leg, occupied one corner, and where a huge bed took up most of the space. She wore so happy a face that Neal could but smile in return, and in spite of the rain and the piercingly cold wind they made a joyous journey the rest of the way. “Neal,” whispered the girl, as he lifted her down before her own door, “you are my own true knight. I don’t know another who would have let me have my way without a word, who would have trusted me as you have done.” And at the look she gave him as she passed into the house he felt that her hour of waking was at hand. Christine was ready with a roaring fire, hot coffee and dry clothes for her sister. “Bad, naughty child,” she exclaimed, “why did you stay so long, and why did you go off no better protected? You might have perished with cold if you had been alone. Come in and get warm and then I will show you what Neal has brought me.” “I am not so very cold,” declared Alison. “We had a good fire at the cabin and I was well wrapped up when we started, and then we came around the longer way so we did not face the wind.” “The longest way round is the shortest way home,” sang Christine, who seemed in a merry mood. “Isn’t it good to see Neal again? John is so glad he is back. For all one can say, no one else is quite so companionable to John. He says that though Neal is always ready for a frolic and is no prig, he never forgets that he is a gentleman and he never disgraces himself by using bad language and by carousing in the dreadful way some of his comrades-in-arms did. Yet he always had their respect and confidence.” “I know all that,” replied Alison, her eyes shining. “Come up and I will show you my present,” said Christine, “such a rare piece as it is. I’ll wager mine is the best. Has Neal told what he has brought you?” Alison was obliged to confess that he had not, but declared that she knew it was finer than her sister’s. The two men were out putting up the horses while the girls were up-stairs. The girls could see them as they tramped back through the slashing rain. Alison watched their approach from the little window of her room. “When you were my age did you know you were in love with Steve?” she asked her sister suddenly.