58 ALBACORA 



as I could muster. "That certainly is an interesting piece 

 of jewelry." 



Again Nieves pointed to my hip and to the bracelet. 

 I had no idea what it was all about. 



Now she was growing quite excited and she actually 

 poked my hip. "Ow," I hollered. She pointed to the 

 bracelet and to her right hip. "No ow," she said. 



"Yes," I said, "no ow. Why yes, yes, of course. Lucky 

 you." 



Nieves pointed to her other hip, then to her back, 

 then to the bracelet. "No ow, no ow," she said, with 

 what I finally understood was native pride. The bracelet 

 must be some kind of native charm. Nieves extended her 

 pantomime to imitate the walk of one suffering from 

 rheumatism, and as she did she pointed at the bracelet 

 in a concluding burst of passion. "No ow," she pro- 

 claimed for the final time. 



"I understand," I said, aloud. "The bracelet is a 

 charm against rheumatism. As long as you wear it, 

 rheumatism will never strike you." I nodded graciously 

 at Nieves and accepted the armband. As I put on the 

 bracelet, her pantomime came to an end. It was true 

 that Nieves had not the slightest trace of rheumatism or 

 arthritis, but I doubt if her bracelet will banish the 

 manufacturers of cortisone from the field. Even if the 

 bracelet always worked, there would be one overwhelm- 

 ing drawback. With sleeveless dresses that black ring 

 on the arm would be certain to show and have a dread- 



