was but a
step, and in the clear moonlight.

The lane wound before her like a silver stream, except where it was
interrupted and bridged over by jagged black shadows. The chapel itself
was black, the clustering trees around it were black also; the porch
seemed to cover an inky well of shadow; the windows were rayless and
dead, and in the chancel one still left open showed a yawning vault of
obscurity within. Nevertheless, she opened the door softly, glided into
the dark depths, and made her way to the harmonium. But here the sound
of footsteps without startled her; she glanced hurriedly through the
open window, and saw the figure of Elisha Braggs suddenly revealed in
the moonlight as he crossed the path behind the chapel. He was closely
followed by two peons, whom she recognized as his servants at the
Mission, and they each carried a pickaxe. From their manner it was
evident that they had no suspicion of her presence in the chapel. But
they had stopped and were listening. Her heart beat quickly; with
a sudden instinct she ran and bolted the door. But it was evidently
another intruder they were watching, for she presently saw Brother
Seabright quietly cross the lane and approach the chapel. The three men
had disappeared; but there was a sudden shout, the sound of scuffling,
the deep voice of Brother Seabright saying, "Back, there, will you!
Hands off!" and a pause. She could see nothing; she listened in every
pulse. Then the voice of Brother Seabright arose again quite clearly,
slowly, and as deliberately as if it had risen from the platform in the
chapel.

"Lish Barker! I thought as much! Lish Barker, first mate of the
Tamalpais, who was said to have gone down with a boat's crew and the
ship's treasure after she struck. I THOUGHT I knew that face today."

"Yes," said the voice of him whom she had known as Elisha Braggs,--"yes,
and I knew YOUR face, Jim Seabright, ex-whaler, slaver, pirate, and
bo's'n of the Highflyer, marooned in the South Pacific, where you found
the Lord--ha! ha!--and became the psalm-singing, converted American
sailor preacher!"

"I am not ashamed before men of my past, which every one knows,"
returned Seabright slowly. "But what of YOURS, Elisha Barker--YOURS
that has made you sham death itself to hide it from them? What of
YOURS--spent in the sloth of your ill-gotten gains! Turn, sinner, turn!
Turn, Elisha Braggs, while there is yet time!"

"Belay there, Brother Seabright; we're not INSIDE yo