against the Moors, released by the final conquest of those
paynims, out now for further wild adventure and for gold with which to
return, wealthy and still young, to Spanish country, Spanish cities,
Spanish women! They had the virtue and the vice of their sort, courage,
miraculous generosities and as miraculous weaknesses. Gold, valor,
comradeship--and eyes resting appraisingly upon young Guarico women
there upon the silver beach with Guarico men.

I heard one cry "Master Juan Lepe!" and turning found Luis Torres. We
embraced, we were so glad each to see the other. My hidalgos were gone,
but before I could question Luis or he me, there bore down upon
us, coming together like birds, half a dozen friars. "We bring
twelve--number of the Apostles!" said Luis. "Monks and priests. Father
Bernardo Buil is their head. The Holy Father hath appointed him Vicar
here. You won't find him a Fray Ignatio!"

A bull-necked, dark-browed, choleric looking man addressed me. His
Benedictine dress became him ill. He should have been a Captain of Free
Lances in whatever brisk war was waging. He said, "The survivor, Juan
Lepe?--We stopped at your La Navidad and found ruin and emptiness. There
must have been ill management--gross!"

"They are all dead," I answered. "None of us manage the towers so very
well!"

He regarded me more attentively. "The physician, Juan Lepe. Where did
you study?"

"In Poitiers and in Paris, Father."

"You have," he said, "the height and sinew and something of the eye and
voice of a notable disappeared heretic, Jayme de Marchena, who slipped
the Dominicans. I saw him once from a doorway. But that the Prior of La
Rabida himself told me that he had accurate knowledge that the man was
gone with the Jews to Fez, I could almost think--But of course it is not
possible, and now I see the differences."

I answered him with some indifferent word, and we came to the Haytiens,
and how many had Fray Ignatio made Christian? "I knew him," said the
Benedictine. "A good man, but weak, weak!"

Juan Lepe asked of the Indians the Admiral had taken to Spain. "But
six reached us alive. We instructed them and baptized them. A great
event--the Grand Cardinal and the King and the Queen attending! Three
died during the summer, but blessedly, being the first of all their
people in all time to enter heaven. A great salvation!"

He looked at the forest and mountains, the sands, the Guaricos, as at a
city he was besieging.

"Ha!" sai