At this Alison smiled. The broken English of Pedro always entertained her and Lolita’s was even more amusing. “No mas,” she said, drawing on her own small stock of Spanish. Lolita nodded understandingly. “Is go the broth’r,” she said. “Is make you the weep. Si, si. I come for look you. So long is go you.” “I believe I have been here a good while,” Alison returned. “I suppose Christine wonders what has become of me. I shouldn’t have left her all this time. Lolita, no tell--no say you of this place---- Oh, dear, how can I make her understand she is not to say anything about it. I wouldn’t have any one find my hiding-place for the world. I wonder what secret is in Spanish. I’ll risk _secreto_; it sounds as if it might be right.” She pointed to the small cleared space in the midst of the chaparral. “Mi secreto,” she said. Lolita nodded, smiling assurance, and poured forth a speech not a word of which Alison understood. “I suppose she means she will not tell.” Then by pointing to her lips, shaking her head and repeating: “Mi secreto,” she gained in response significant gestures which satisfied her that Lolita understood perfectly, and that nothing would induce her to reveal the secret. “I’ll have to learn Spanish; that’s all there is about it, or I shall never be able to get along. To be sure Pedro understands me pretty well and can get off a sort of talk which I can partly translate, but I’d better pitch in and study. I’ve no doubt that John has some sort of Spanish books in the house; I’ll look them up and meantime I will learn all I can from Lolita and Pedro. Christine cannot say I am not improving my opportunities.” She smiled brightly at Lolita, and the two went together to the house, each trying to make the other comprehend, and such a funny business did this appear to be, that by the time they reached the door, they were both laughing in the happy, foolish way characteristic of young things like themselves. At the house the two parted. Alison was surprised to find Christine perfectly calm, going about her evening duties. She looked at Alison keenly and the traces of tears did not escape her notice, though she made no sign. She could not forget Neal’s words: “You’re the oldest; you owe it to that little sister of yours to brace up and get through this with all the courage that’s in you.” To be sure, she argued to herself, Neal Jordan had no right to inform her as to her duty, but she could not forget what he had said. It struck her the more forcibly as she realized that Alison had crept off alone to make her moan, and that she was a brave little lass who did not flinch when trouble came, and who did not ask any one to bear it with her. “I must not let that child outdo me,” Christine told herself. “I must get together all the courage that’s in me.” So she looked up smiling and said: “Guess what we are going to have for supper?” “What?” Alison paused and sniffed the odors coming from the kitchen, then started for that room.