would stroke her soft hair, or stretch out his hand to touch
her dress as she passed him. Always when she glanced up at him the
same sweet, compassionate smile glowed on her face. When she left the
house, he followed. When she bent over the ash-strewn fireplace, or
washed the few plain dishes, he sought to share her employment; and,
when gently, lovingly repulsed, sat dully, with his yearning eyes
riveted upon her. Rosendo saw him, and forgot his own sorrow in pity
for the suffering priest.

The preparations carried the toilers far into the night. But at length
the last bundle was strapped to its _siete_, the last plan discussed
and agreed upon, and the two Americans had thrown themselves upon
their cots for a brief rest before dawn. Rosendo took Jose aside,
while Dona Maria and Carmen sought their beds.

"Fernando sends Juan to Bodega Central at daybreak," the old man said.
"All has been kept secret. No one suspects our plans. Maria remains
here with you until I return. Then we may go to the _hacienda_ of Don
Nicolas, on the Boque. I shall tell him to have it in readiness on my
return. I shall probably not get back to Simiti for two months. If, as
you say, you still think best not to go with the Americans and the
girl, what will you do here? The people are much divided. Some say
they intend to ask the Bishop to remove you. _Bien_, will you not
decide to go?"

Jose could not make audible reply. He shook his head, and waved
Rosendo away. Then, taking a chair, he went into the sleeping room and
sat down at the bedside of the slumbering girl. Reaching over, he took
her hand.

What was it that she had said to him that day, long gone, when Diego
claimed her as his child? Ah, yes:

"Don't feel badly, Padre dear. His thoughts have only the minus
sign--and that means nothing, you know."

And later, many weeks later:

"Padre, you can not think wrong and right thoughts together, you know.
You can not be happy and unhappy at the same time. You can not be sick
and well together." In other words, the wise little maid was trying to
show him that Paul spoke directly to such as he when he wrote: Know ye
not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants
ye are--?

"You can not have both good and evil, Padre," she had so often
insisted. "You must want good--want it more than anything else. And
then you must prepare for it by thinking right thoughts and unthinking
wrong ones. And as you prepare for good, you