an be men capable of marrying such a fright as that woman
is. It's easily seen where she comes from. She's just dying of envy,
you can see it! How much does an alferez get?"

"Accordingly, Don Santiago, tell your cousin to prepare the sick girl
for the communion tomorrow. I'll come over tonight to absolve her of
her peccadillos."

Seeing Aunt Isabel come from the sick-room, he said to her in Tagalog,
"Prepare your niece for confession tonight. Tomorrow I'll bring over
the viaticum. With that she'll improve faster."

"But, Padre," Linares gathered up enough courage to ask faintly,
"you don't think that she's in any danger of dying?"

"Don't you worry," answered the padre without looking at him. "I
know what I'm doing; I've helped take care of plenty of sick people
before. Besides, she'll decide herself whether or not she wishes to
receive the holy communion and you'll see that she says yes."

Capitan Tiago immediately agreed to everything, while Aunt Isabel
returned to the sick girl's chamber. Maria Clara was still in bed,
pale, very pale, and at her side were her two friends.

"Take one more grain," Sinang whispered, as she offered her a white
tablet that she took from a small glass tube. "He says that when you
feel a rumbling or buzzing in your ears you are to stop the medicine."

"Hasn't he written to you again?" asked the sick girl in a low voice.

"No, he must be very busy."

"Hasn't he sent any message?"

"He says nothing more than that he's going to try to get the Archbishop
to absolve him from the excommunication, so that--"

This conversation was suspended at the aunt's approach. "The
padre says for you to get ready for confession, daughter," said the
latter. "You girls must leave her so that she can make her examination
of conscience."

"But it hasn't been a week since she confessed!" protested Sinang. "I'm
not sick and I don't sin as often as that."

"Aba! Don't you know what the curate says: the righteous sin seven
times a day? Come, what book shall I bring you, the _Ancora_, the
_Ramillete_, or the _Camino Recto para ir al Cielo?_"

Maria Clara did not answer.

"Well, you mustn't tire yourself," added the good aunt to console
her. "I'll read the examination myself and you'll have only to recall
your sins."

"Write to him not to think of me any more," murmured Maria Clara in
Sinang's ear as the latter said good-by to her.

"What?"

But the aunt again approached, and Sinang had to go awa