prayers and
crossed himself with the same fervor as the chief of the Brotherhood
of the Most Sacred Rosary would have done at that moment.

The drizzling rain continued all night. At nine o'clock the streets
were dark and lonely. The little cocoanut oil lanterns, which each
citizen had to hang out in front of his house gave light scarcely a
meter around. It seemed as though they had been lighted so one might
see the darkness.

Two Civil Guards were walking from one side of the street to the
other near the church.

"It is cold," said one in Tagalog with a Visayan accent. "We aren't
catching any sacristans. There is nobody to clean out the alferez's hen
yard and we ought to catch some sacristan and make him do it. Since
that one was killed, they have taken warning. I am getting tired
of this."

"So am I," replied the other. "Nobody commits any robbery; no one
disturbs the peace; but, thank God, they say that Elias is in town. The
alferez says that the one who catches him will be free from whippings
for three months."

"Ah! Do you know his identification marks?" asked the Visayan.

"I certainly do! Stature, tall, according to the alferez's description;
ordinary, according to the description of Father Damaso; color,
brunette; eyes, black; nose, regular; mouth, regular; beard, none;
hair, black."

"Ah! And particular marks?"

"Camisa, black; pantaloons, black; a wood-cutter----"

"Ah! He will not escape. I think I see him already."

"I don't confuse him with anybody else, although you might think so."

Both soldiers continued their beats.

By the light of the lantern two forms could again be seen, one
following the other cautiously. A forcible "Quien vive?" stops them
both. The first one replied "Espana," in a trembling voice.

The two soldiers drag him along and bring him up to the light,
to recognize him. It was Lucas, but the soldiers were in doubt and
questioned each other with a glance.

"The alferez said nothing about his having a scar," said the Visayan
in a low voice. "Where are you going?"

"To order a mass for to-morrow."

"Have you not seen Elias?"

"I do not know him, senor," replied Lucas.

"You dunce! I am not asking if you know him. Nor do we know him. I
am asking you if you have seen him."

"No, senor."

"Listen closely. I will give you his description. Stature, at times
tall, at times regular; skin and eyes, black; all the others are
regular," said the Visayan. "Do you know him no