Clarence King 



old brass basin above the barberia 

 door. 



Curiosity about America suddenly 

 gave way to compassion. 



" Pobrecito / '." she said in benevo- 

 lent accents. " You take care of 

 him ! He is " — making a grimace of 

 interrogation, arching up her brows, 

 and touching her head — "a little 

 wrong- here." 



Salazar, with unbroken gravity, 

 touched his own head, pointed to 

 me, and replied, " Perfectly clear ! " 



" What in the name of the Blessed 

 Virgin does he want of that old basin 

 with a hole in it ? " shrugging her fat, 

 round shoulders till they touched her 

 earrings, and turning up the plump, 

 cushiony palms of her hands to 

 heaven. 



" It seems very droll, my good 



woman, does it not ? " I interrupted, 



" but I have in my own country a 



charming friend whom I love very 



27 



