say it, but, in my opinion, he is better under lock
and key, for everybody's good, at present. He'd be a firebrand in the
town if he got away. Meantime, let us go to our room. It is about the
time when everybody is taking a siesta, and for two hours, thank Heaven!
we're certain nothing more can happen."

"I'll join you in a moment," said Miss Keene.

Her quick ear had caught the sound of voices approaching. As Mrs.
Markham disappeared in the passage, the Commander and his party
reappeared from the guard-room, taking leave of Padre Esteban. The
secretary, as he passed Miss Keene, managed to add to his formal
salutation the whispered words,--"When the Angelus rings I will await
you before the grating of his prison."

Padre Esteban was too preoccupied to observe this incident. As soon as
he quitted the Presidio, he hastened to the Mission with a disquieting
fear that his strange guest might have vanished. But, crossing the
silent refectory, and opening the door of the little apartment, he was
relieved to find him stretched on the pallet in a profound slumber.
The peacefulness of the venerable walls had laid a gentle finger on his
weary eyelids.

The Padre glanced round the little cell, and back again at the handsome
suffering face that seemed to have found surcease and rest in the narrow
walls, with a stirring of regret. But the next moment he awakened the
sleeper, and in the briefest, almost frigid, sentences, related the
events of the morning.

The young man rose to his feet with a bitter laugh.

"You see," he said, "God is against me! And yet a few hours ago I dared
to think that He had guided me to a haven of rest and forgetfulness!

"Have you told the truth to him and to me?" said the priest sternly,
"or have you--a mere political refugee--taken advantage of an old man's
weakness to forge a foolish lie of sentimental passion?"

"What do you mean?" said Hurlstone, turning upon him almost fiercely.

The priest rose, and drawing a folded paper from his bosom, opened it
before the eyes of his indignant guest.

"Remember what you told me last night in the sacred confidences of
yonder holy church, and hear what you really are from the lips of the
Council of Todos Santos."

Smoothing out the paper, he read slowly as follows:--

"Whereas, it being presented to an Emergency Council, held at the
Presidio of Todos Santos, that the foreign barque Excelsior had
mutinied, discharged her captain and passengers, and e