ppiness which seemed to Jose strangely out of place in that tense
atmosphere, "I have been writing a question to God." She held out the
paper.

"Writing a question to God! Well--!"

"Why, yes, Padre dear. I have done that for a long, long time. When I
want to know what to do, and think I don't see just what is best, I
write my question to God on a piece of paper. Then I read it to Him,
and tell Him I know He knows the answer and that He will tell me. And
then I put the paper under a stone some place, and--well, that's all,
Padre. Isn't it a good way?" She beamed at him like a glorious noonday
sun.

The priest stood before her in wonder and admiration. "And does He
tell you the answers to your questions, _chiquita_?" he asked
tenderly.

"Always, Padre dear. Not always right away--but He never fails--never!"

"Will you tell me what you are asking Him now?" he said.

She handed him the paper. His eyes dimmed as he read:

"Dear, dear Father, please tell your little girl and her dear
Padre Jose what it is that makes the people think they have to die
down in the town."

"And where will you put the paper, little girl?" he asked, striving to
control his voice.

"Why, I don't know, Padre. Oh, why not put it under the altar in this
old church?" she exclaimed, pleased with the thought of such a novel
hiding place.

"Excellent!" assented Jose; and together they entered the building.
After much stumbling over rubbish, much soiling of hands and
disturbing of bats and lizards, while Carmen's happy laugh rang
merrily through the gloomy old pile, they laid the paper carefully
away behind the altar in a little pocket, and covered it with an adobe
brick.

"There!" panted the girl, the task finished. "Now we will wait for the
answer."

Jose went down into the ominous silence of the town with a lighter
heart. The sublime faith of the child moved before him like a beacon.
To the sick he spoke words of comfort, with the vision of Carmen
always before him. At the altar in the empty church, where he offered
the Mass in fulfillment of his promise to the people, her fair form
glowed with heavenly radiance from the pedestal where before had stood
the dilapidated image of the Virgin. He prepared the sacred wafer and
left a part of it on the altar for the people to carry in their
procession to Santa Barbara. The other portion he took to the sick
ones who had asked for the sacrament.

Two more had fallen ill that afternoon. M