brigands; but there ought to be a priest there, and we can appeal to
him."

This proposal pleased Tozer, who resumed his work of collecting among
the stores of his memory scraps of Latin which he had once stored away
there.

The village was at no very great distance away from the road, and they
reached it in a short time. They went at once to the church. The door
was open, and a priest, who seemed the village priest, was standing
there. He was stout, with a good-natured expression on his hearty,
rosy face, and a fine twinkle in his eye, which lighted up pleasantly
as he saw the strangers enter.

Tozer at once held out his hand and shook that of the priest.

"Buon giorno," said the priest.

Ethel shook her head.

"Parlate Italiano?" said he.

Ethel shook her head.

"Salve, domine," said Tozer, who at once plunged headlong into Latin.

"Salve bene," said the priest, in some surprise.

"Quomodo vales?" asked Tozer.

"Optime valeo, Dei gratia. Spero vos valere."

Tozer found the priest's pronunciation a little difficult, but managed
to understand him.

"Domine," said he, "sumus viatores infelices et innocentes, in quos
fures nuper impetum fecerunt. Omnia bona nostra arripuerunt--"

"Fieri non potest!" said the priest.

"Et omnes amicos nostros in captivitatem lachrymabilem tractaverunt--"

"Cor dolet," said the priest; "miseret me vestrum."

"Cujusmodi terra est haec in qua sustenendum est tot labores?"

The priest sighed.

"Tonitruendum est malum!" exclaimed Tozer, excited by the recollection
of his wrongs.

The priest stared.

"In hostium manibus fuimus, et, bonum tonitru! omnia impedimenta
amissimus. Est nimis omnipotens malum!"

"Quid vis dicere?" said the priest, looking puzzled. "Quid tibi vis?"

"Est nimis sempiternum durum!"

"In nomine omnium sanctorum apostolorumque," cried the priest, "quid
vis dicere?"

"Potes ne juvare nos," continued Tozer, "in hoc lachrymabile tempore?
Volo unum verum vivum virum qui possit--"

"Diabolus arripiat me si possim unum solum verbum intelligere!" cried
the priest. "Be jabers if I ondherstan' yez at all at all; an' there
ye have it."

And with this the priest raised his head, with its puzzled look, and
scratched that organ with such a natural air, and with such a full
Irish flavor in his brogue and in his face, that both of his visitors
were perfectly astounded.

"Good gracious!" cried Tozer; and seizing the priest's hand in both of
his, he nea