the sun, and the children, to better see
the ceremony of the dedication, had climbed up among the branches.

Soon bands were heard in the distance. The Mongol carefully examined
his construction; he seemed nervous. A man with the appearance of a
peasant standing near him on the edge of the excavation and close
beside the capstan watched all his movements. It was Elias, well
disguised by his salakot and rustic costume.

The musicians arrived, preceded by a crowd of old and young in motley
array. Behind came the alcalde, the municipal guard officers, the
monks, and the Spanish Government clerks. Ibarra was talking with
the alcalde; Captain Tiago, the alferez, the curate and a number of
the rich country gentlemen accompanied the ladies, whose gay parasols
gleamed in the sunshine.

As they approached the trench, Ibarra felt his heart
beat. Instinctively he raised his eyes to the strange scaffolding. The
Mongol saluted him respectfully, and looked at him intently a
moment. Ibarra recognized Elias through his disguise, and the
mysterious helmsman, by a significant glance, recalled the warning
in the church.

The curate put on his robes and began the office. The one-eyed
sacristan held his book; a choir boy had in charge the holy water
and sprinkler. The men uncovered, and the crowd stood so silent that,
though the father read low, his voice was heard to tremble.

The manuscripts, journals, money, and medals to be preserved in
remembrance of this day had been placed in the glass box and the box
itself hermetically sealed within the leaden cylinder.

"Senor Ibarra, will you place the box in the stone? The curate is
waiting for you," said the alcalde in Ibarra's ear.

"I should do so with great pleasure," said Ibarra, "but it would be
a usurpation of the honor; that belongs to the notary, who must draw
up the written process."

The notary gravely took the box, descended the carpeted stairway which
led to the bottom of the trench, and with due solemnity deposited
his burden in the hollow of the stone already laid. The curate took
the sprinkler and sprinkled the stone with holy water.

Each one was now to deposit his trowel of cement on the surface of
the lower stone, to seal it to the stone held suspended by the crane
when that should be lowered.

Ibarra offered the alcalde a silver trowel, on which was engraved
the date of the fete, but before using it His Excellency pronounced
a short allocution in Castilian.

"