--one of many in this imperfect world--who had
not found his proper place in life. His father had intended to take him,
as a partner, into business, toward which he had a natural leaning, so
soon as he was of sufficient age; but Senor Pujol suffered reverses
which swept away his modest fortune, and left his family destitute.
Rather than receive aid from his uncle, and waiving his claim in favor
of his younger brother, this son, although with reluctance, decided to
enter the priesthood, for he was a singularly religious young man. But
Father Pujol, in his capacity as priest, combined, in a marked degree,
the wisdom of the serpent with the harmlessness of the dove. He had a
deeply rooted aversion to the custom of women sequestering themselves
from the world behind the walls of a convent; and it had been his habit,
whenever opportunity offered, to dissuade any who, by so doing, might
leave a void in the world. Indeed, he had been so zealous in one or two
cases that the suspicions of his fellow-brethren had been aroused, and,
eventually, he was selected to make one of a company of Franciscans
to the new province. Therefore, on hearing for the first time what
Apolinaria meditated doing, he felt almost angry with her, foolish and
unreasonable though he knew he was.

"My blessed child!" he exclaimed, "what has made you think of such a
thing?"

"I know not, Father," replied Apolinaria, "but it seemed to have been
put into my mind by the saints in Heaven that that was what I should do;
and I believe that must be what I was destined for when I was found by
the dear sisters, forsaken and starving, and was taken to the asylum.
Did not they save my life that I might glorify God and the Blessed
Virgin the rest of my days?"

"Listen, Apolinaria," replied the Father solemnly. "I know well the
state of your mind concerning this question. I have no word of blame
to give you, and I am sure that the life you would pass in the convent
would be acceptable to God; one, indeed, of good work done for others,
in so far as your limited sphere of action would permit. But, my dear
child, consider carefully before you decide to take this step, whether
it may not be a step backward in your progress toward a heavenly home.
Here you are, a member of a leading family in Nueva California, in the
midst of duties which you can, and do, discharge faithfully, and which
would not be done so well by any one else, should you give them up.
Think of the help a