al, Father?" asked the alferez, looking at the
parish priest through his empty wine glass.

"About whom could it be? About the one who, day before yesterday,
struck Father Damaso, of course."

"Struck Father Damaso?" asked a number of voices.

The coadjutor was seen to smile.

"Yes; and Father Damaso is now in bed. It is believed that the culprit
was that same Elias who once threw you into a mud-hole, Senor Alferez."

The alferez colored up a little, either from shame or too much wine.

"I thought that you were interested in the affair," continued Father
Salvi, with a little jeering in his manner.

The alferez bit his lips and mumbled out a silly excuse.

The meal ended and, while tea and coffee were being served, the young
and old distributed themselves about in various groups. Some picked
up playing cards and others dice, but the young women, anxious to
know the future, preferred to try their luck with the wheel of fortune.

"Come, Senor Ibarra," shouted Captain Basilio, who was a little bit
jolly. "We have a law-suit that has been pending for fifteen years,
and there isn't a judge in the Supreme Court in Manila who can
decide it. Let us see if we can settle it on the chess board. What
do you say?"

The game of chess began with much solemnity.

"If the game is a draw," said Ibarra, "it is understood that the suit
is off."

About the middle of the game, Ibarra received a telegram which made
his eyes glisten and his face grow pale. He put it in his pocket-book,
not, however, without directing a glance at the group of young women
who continued with much laughter to play the wheel of fortune.

"Check to the king!" said the young man.

Captain Basilio had no other resort than to hide him behind the queen.

"Check to the queen!" said Ibarra, threatening it with his rook,
which was defended by a pawn.

Not being able to cover the queen, nor to retire it on account of the
fact that the king was behind it, Captain Basilio asked permission
to study the situation a little.

"Certainly, with much pleasure," replied Ibarra. "I will take advantage
of the opportunity, for I have something to say to some of the members
of that group over there."

And rising to his feet, he gave his opponent half an hour to study
it out.

Iday held in her hands the strip of cardboard on which was written
forty-eight questions, while Albino held the book which contained
the answers.

"That's a lie! It's not so! It lies!" cried