months. If a man wishes to leave his woman and
live with another, he does so. If there are children, the woman always
has to keep and care for them."

"And could you leave Jacinta if you wished, and live with another
woman?"

"Yes, Padre."

"And she would have to lake care of your children?"

"Yes."

"And all because you are not married?"

"I think so, Padre."

"_Hombre!_ But that will do, Fidel."

Oh, the sordid greed of those who abuse their sacred commission! What
punishment is mete for such as exploit these lowly folk in the name of
religion! Jose strode off to consult the Alcalde.

"Don Mario, the men in Simiti who are living with women have _got_ to
be married to them! It is shameful! I shall make a canvass of the town
at once!"

The Alcalde laughed. "_Costumbre_, Padre. You can't change it."

_Costumbre del pais!_ It is a final answer all through South America.
No matter how unreasonable a thing may be, if it is the custom of the
country it is a Medean law.

"But you know this is subversive of Church discipline!" Jose retorted
warmly. "Look you, Don Mario," he added suggestively, "you and I are
to work together, are we not?"

The Alcalde blinked his pig eyes, but thought hard about La Libertad.
_"Cierto, Senor Padre!"_ he hastened to exclaim.

"Then I demand that you summon before me every man and woman who are
living together unmarried."

With a thought single to his own future advantage, the wary Alcalde
complied. Within the week following this interview Jose married twenty
couples, and without charge. Some offered him a few _pesos_. These he
took and immediately turned over to Don Mario as treasurer of the
parish. Those couples who refused to be married were forced by the
Alcalde to separate. But of these there were few. Among them was one
Julio Gomez. Packing his few household effects upon his back, and
muttering imprecations against the priest, Gomez set out for the
hills, still followed by his woman, with a babe slung over her
shoulders and two naked children toddling at her bare heels.

Verily, the ancient town was being profoundly stirred by the man who
had sought to find his tomb there. Gradually the people lost their
suspicions and distrust, bred of former bitter experience with
priests, and joined heartily with Jose to ameliorate the social status
of the place. His sincere love for them, and his utter selflessness,
secured their confidence, and ere his first month among them clos