es,
and Flora, as if yet unsatisfied, sows on the trees themselves; mosses
and fungi live on the creased bark, and graceful aerial guests pierce
with their tendrils the hospitable branches.

This wood is the subject of a legend.

When the pueblo was but a group of poor cabins, there arrived one
day a strange old Spaniard with marvellous eyes, who scarcely spoke
the Tagal. He wished to buy lands having thermal springs, and did
so, paying in money, dress, and jewelry. Suddenly he disappeared,
leaving no trace. The people of the pueblo had begun to think of him
as a magician, when one day his body was found hanging high to the
branch of a giant fig tree. After it had been buried at the foot of
the tree, no one cared much to venture in that quarter.

A few months later there arrived a young Spanish halfbreed, who
claimed to be the old man's son. He settled, and gave himself to
agriculture. Don Saturnino was taciturn and of violent temper,
but very industrious. Late in life he married a woman of Manila,
who bore him Don Rafael, the father of Crisostomo.

Don Rafael, from his youth, was much beloved. He rapidly developed
his father's lands, the population multiplied, the Chinese came, the
hamlet grew to a pueblo, the native curate died and was replaced by
Father Damaso. And all this time the people respected the sepulchre
of the old Spaniard, and held it in superstitious awe. Sometimes,
armed with sticks and stones, the children dared run near it to gather
wild fruits; but while they were busy at this, or stood gazing at
the bit of rope still dangling from the limb, a stone or two would
fall from no one knew where. Then with cries of "The old man! the
old man!" they threw down sticks and fruit, ran in all directions,
between the rocks and bushes, and did not stop till they were out of
the woods, all pale and breathless, some crying, few daring to laugh.

XI.

THE SOVEREIGNS.

Who was the ruler of the pueblo? Not Don Rafael during his lifetime,
though he possessed the most land, and nearly every one owed him. As
he was modest, and gave little value to his deeds, no party formed
around him, and we have seen how he was deserted and attacked when
his fortunes fell.

Was it Captain Tiago? It is true his arrival was always heralded with
music, he was given banquets by his debtors, and loaded with presents;
but he was laughed at in secret, and called Sacristan Tiago.

Was it by chance the town mayor, the gobern