After Miss Prudence had gone out of hearing distance, Peggy rode over close to Jo Ann and demanded, "What did you girls see to scare you that way?" 

Jo Ann leaned over and whispered, "One of the smugglers!" 

Peggy gave a little sudden start that made her horse quiver responsively. "Gol-ly!" she ejaculated. "What'd he come up here for?" 

"That's what Florence and I want to know." 

By the time the girls had reached the house, Miss Prudence had dismounted and had gone inside. 

As they were walking along the corridor to their room Maria hurried out of the kitchen, an excited gleam in her black eyes. 

After a swift glance around to assure herself that Miss Prudence was not in sight she called to Florence in a low voice and motioned for all three of them to come there. As they drew near she went on excitedly, "There is a woman here from San Geronimo to see you. She say she has something to tell the señoritas who bought her _ollas_ a few days back. It is very important, she say." 

"A woman from San Geronimo to----" Florence checked her flow of Spanish to relay the message in English to Peggy and Jo Ann. 

"She must think it's important to come 'way up here," Jo Ann murmured to Florence as they followed Maria and Peggy into the kitchen. "Do you suppose it could be something about those----" 

Before she could finish her sentence, they were inside the kitchen. There sitting beside the door talking to José was the woman from whom Jo Ann had bought the pottery. 

On seeing Jo and Florence the woman rose and hurried over to meet them. 

With her words tumbling over each other in her excitement, she began talking to Florence. So rapid was her Spanish that Jo Ann could catch only a few words now and then. One thing she was sure of, however, was that the woman was frightened. But why? She could stand the suspense no longer and broke in, "What is it, Florence? What's the trouble?" 

Florence turned and explained quickly to her and Peggy, "She says she heard the smugglers threaten to get even with you and me." 

Jo Ann's eyes flew open, but she repressed the frightened exclamation on the tip of her tongue. 

"Her oldest girl 

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