The two hurriedly made their toilets and went down to find an archway of flowers over the gate, garlands festooned across the windows and twined around the balconies. In the center of the _patio_ was set a tree. “The presents have begun to arrive already,” Doña Martina told them. “Old Antonia has been here with a pair of pigeons and here comes Miguel with a basket.” “Isn’t it exciting?” said Patty, peeping out to watch Anita take the basket. “A remembrance for Don Juan, señora,” said the maid. Doña Martina lifted the cover to disclose a pair of white fowls. And so the procession kept up all morning. Here came a lad with a basket of fruit, there an old woman with a bucket of eggs, next a young girl with a pat of butter on a quaint plate of peasant-ware, plate and all intended for the good doctor. The climax was reached when a handsome dark-eyed girl appeared, leading a snow-white lamb, decked off with a wreath of daisies, the flowers of San Juan. All must go out to welcome the little lamb. “The true symbol of San Juan,” cried Doña Martina. “Isn’t it a darling? Come in, Perdita. Don Juan will want to thank you himself. Anita will take you to his study. She is very grateful,” Doña Martina explained to the girls, “for Juan cured her grandmother of threatened blindness. These peasants are such a superstitious set and someone had told the poor old grandmother to dry a piece of holy palm which had been blessed by the priest, to crush it to a powder and put it on her eyes. Imagine the result! I never saw Juan more indignant. ‘But, foolish woman,’ he said, ‘you have aggravated the trouble. You would be totally blind if you continued such a stupid course. Had you no better sense?’ ‘It was my faith, only my faith,’ wailed the poor old thing. They are just like that, and half the time all that is needed is a little common sense. Eye trouble is very common among them, and no wonder, for they use one another’s handkerchiefs indiscriminately and are utterly careless. Juan has cured scores of cases and they think he is a saint. I am sure Perdita has been coddling the lamb especially for this occasion.” “Isn’t she a pretty girl,” said Patty, watching the giver of the lamb depart. “She has such masses of wavy hair and such beautiful eyes; then what a fine straight figure and fine carriage.” “You should see her dance the _jota_; no one about here does it so well.” “Shall we see her this evening?” “Oh, yes, for we shall have good music. Now I must go and see if the maids have prepared refreshments enough. There will be a big crowd, I am sure. If any more presents come, tell me.” More presents did come straggling along all day, until the supply of such things as the country people could bring added a large store to the larder. “They are poor,” Doña Martina explained, “and Juan accepts no fees, so, as this is their opportunity to give what they can, we are obliged to accept the gifts.”