man! And yet,
amid this barrenness he had resolved to live.

A song drifted to him through the pulsing heat of the morning air. It
sifted through the mud walls of his poor dwelling, and poured into the
open doorway, where it hovered, quivering, like the dust motes in the
sunbeams. Instantly the man righted himself. It was Carmen, the child
to whom his life now belonged. Resolutely he again set his wandering
mind toward the great thing he would accomplish--the protection and
training of this girl, even while, if might be, he found his life
again in hers. Nothing on earth should shake him from that purpose!
Doubt and uncertainty were powerless to dull the edge of his efforts.
His bridges were burned behind him; and on the other side of the great
gulf lay the dead self which he had abandoned forever.

A harsh medley of loud, angry growls, interspersed with shrill yelps,
suddenly arose before his house, and Jose hastened to the door just in
time to see Carmen rush into the street and fearlessly throw herself
upon two fighting dogs.

"Cucumbra! Stop it instantly!" she exclaimed, dragging the angry brute
from a thoroughly frightened puppy.

"Shame! shame! And after all I've talked to you about loving that
puppy!"

The gaunt animal slunk down, with its tail between its legs.

"Did you ever gain anything at all by fighting? You know you never
did! And right down in your heart you know you love that puppy. You've
_got_ to love him; you can't help it! And you might as well begin
right now."

The beast whimpered at her little bare feet.

"Cucumbra, you let bad thoughts use you, didn't you? Yes, you did; and
you're sorry for it now. Well, there's the puppy," pointing to the
little dog, which stood hesitant some yards away. "Now go and play
with him," she urged. "Play with him!" rousing the larger dog and
pointing toward the puppy. "Play with him! You _know_ you love him!"

Cucumbra hesitated, looking alternately at the small, resolute girl
and the smaller dog. Her arm remained rigidly extended, and
determination was written large in her set features. The puppy uttered
a sharp bark, as if in forgiveness, and began to scamper playfully
about. Cucumbra threw a final glance at the girl.

"Play with him!" she again commanded.

The large dog bounded after the puppy, and together they disappeared
around the street corner.

The child turned and saw Jose, who had regarded the scene in mute
astonishment.

"_Muy buenos dias