peat, is not found in the epics men
have created, but in the sources that inspired them. In the glories of
the earth and the air, in the stars and mountains and forests and fields
and streams, in man, in the birds and animals, in the turning of the
soil with the plow and the spade, and in the growing corn. These are the
things which, before all else, add to the spiritual growth of man and
inspire him to pray and hope, to sing and to love, and draw him close to
the invisible world because they are a part of the life of man, not
imitations of life. The instant man realizes this he will be free.

"I know you cannot understand this," he continued with a shade of
impatience in his voice, "for what can a lot of slaves like you, the
brick and mortar type of man, know of freedom, all that is best and
noble in life? You are so bound to the world of your own creating that
it has become as meaningless as a fancy to you. Your souls run on the
dead level; the great song of life sweeps by you unheeded, and is gone
forever."

XVII

Senora Fernandez erred in her judgment of Don Felipe, which was but
natural. She still regarded him as the impetuous, hot-headed youth of
former days, not what he really was--the mature man, sobered by years of
experience and suffering which had taught him the value of self-control.

He understood the nature, knew as never before the mettle of the woman
with whom he had to deal, and on no account would he foolishly
precipitate a quarrel with the Captain. He would bide his time and
strike only when the moment seemed propitious. The vague rumors which
were current concerning Chiquita must have some foundation, else why the
continual gossip on every tongue? He would investigate the matter for
himself, in his own time and way; meanwhile he would reinstate himself
in the good graces of the community by making himself as agreeable and
popular as possible, a thing not difficult for one of his wealth and
accomplishments.

He had doffed his Mexican costume for the more prosaic attire of the
modern man which became him equally well and which was more to his
liking. To the cosmopolitan that he had become, the place and the people
had shrunk terribly during his absence, and there seemed to be little
left in common between him and them. The presence of the Americans was
a godsend to him, while he in turn was like a fresh breeze from the
outer world to them.

He instinctively recognized a confederate in Bl