eyond the boundaries of Tiani, but
he had to maintain his prestige and keep the jerked venison. "But I
can give you a good piece of advice, and it is that you go with Juli
to see the Justice of the Peace. But it's very necessary that Juli go."

The Justice of the Peace was a very rough fellow, but if he should
see Juli he might conduct himself less rudely--this is wherein lay
the wisdom of the advice.

With great gravity the honorable Justice listened to Sister Bali,
who did the talking, but not without staring from time to time at
the girl, who hung her head with shame. People would say that she
was greatly interested in Basilio, people who did not remember her
debt of gratitude, nor that his imprisonment, according to report,
was on her account.

After belching three or four times, for his Honor had that ugly habit,
he said that the only person who could save Basilio was Padre Camorra,
_in case he should care to do so_. Here he stared meaningly at the
girl and advised her to deal with the curate in person.

"You know what influence he has,--he got your grand-father out of
jail. A report from him is enough to deport a new-born babe or save
from death a man with the noose about his neck."

Juli said nothing, but Sister Bali took this advice as though she
had read it in a novena, and was ready to accompany the girl to the
convento. It so happened that she was just going there to get as alms
a scapulary in exchange for four full reales.

But Juli shook her head and was unwilling to go to the convento. Sister
Bali thought she could guess the reason--Padre Camorra was reputed
to be very fond of the women and was very frolicsome--so she tried
to reassure her. "You've nothing to fear if I go with you. Haven't
you read in the booklet _Tandang Basio_, given you by the curate,
that the girls should go to the convento, even without the knowledge
of their elders, to relate what is going on at home? _Aba_, that book
is printed with the permission of the Archbishop!"

Juli became impatient and wished to cut short such talk, so she begged
the pious woman to go if she wished, but his Honor observed with a
belch that the supplications of a youthful face were more moving than
those of an old one, the sky poured its dew over the fresh flowers
in greater abundance than over the withered ones. The metaphor was
fiendishly beautiful.

Juli did not reply and the two left the house. In the street the
girl firmly refused to go to the