that perhaps he should never again know anything better
than the lowly life of this dead town. But when his gaze rested upon
the little Carmen, flying hither and yon with an ardent, anticipatory
interest in every detail of the preparations, and when he realized
that, though her feet seemed to rest in the squalid setting afforded
by this dreary place, yet her thought dwelt ever in heaven, his heart
welled again with a great thankfulness for the inestimable privilege
of giving his new life, in whatever environment, to a soul so fair as
hers.

While his house was being set in order under the direction of Rosendo,
Jose visited the church with the Alcalde to formulate plans for its
immediate repair and renovation. As he surveyed the ancient pile and
reflected that it stood as a monument to the inflexible religious
convictions of his own distant progenitors, the priest's sensibilities
were profoundly stirred. How little he knew of that long line of
illustrious ancestry which preceded him! He had been thrust from under
the parental wing at the tender age of twelve; but he could not recall
that even before that event his father had ever made more than casual
mention of the family. Indeed, in the few months since arriving on
ancestral soil Jose had gathered up more of the threads which bound
him to the ancient house of Rincon than in all the years which
preceded. Had he himself only been capable of the unquestioning
acceptance of religious dogma which those old _Conqueros_ and early
forbears exhibited, to what position of eminence in Holy Church might
he not already have attained, with every avenue open to still greater
preferment! How happy were his dear mother then! How glorious their
honored name!--

With a sigh the priest roused himself and strove to thrust these
disturbing thoughts from his mind by centering his attention upon the
work in hand. Dona Maria came to him for permission to take the moldy
vestments from the _sacristia_ to her house to clean them. The
Alcalde, bustling about, panting and perspiring, was distributing
countless orders among his willing assistants. Carmen, who throughout
the morning had been everywhere, bubbling with enthusiasm, now
appeared at the church door. As she entered the musty, ill-smelling
old building she hesitated on the threshold, her childish face screwed
into an expression of disgust.

"Come in, little one; I need your inspiration," called Jose cheerily.

The child approached, and