e left; then softly, affectionately to the right;
and always dreamily. But the most shameless traitor of all was the lower
lip. It was the Hapsburg lower lip, heavy and thick and sensuous, and
ill-fated. Hanging partly open under the silken drooping moustache, it
revealed the spoiled child of royalty, who mistakes obstinacy for
decision, and changes whims with despotic petulance. Maximilian believed
in his star. But a lower lip is more potent than predestination. He need
only have leaned close to his mirror. Then he might have seen what the
priest saw so clearly.

Maximilian paused on coming out. The freedmen were just rising from
their knees among the thorns and stones. Then it occurred to the
liberator that their participation in the rejoicing was not exactly,
ah--conspicuous. "Would you not think it well, father," said he to the
Grand Chaplain, "that these poor people partake of the holy communion on
this day that has been so eventful for them? If you approve, let it be
ordered that----"

"But Sire----"

Maximilian turned quickly, a pleased smile on his lips. The interruption
came in his own tongue, in German. And he who had spoken was a German.
It was the hacienda curate. His voice was soft, and purring with
deference. He wished to say, with permission, that the holy sacrament
for the Inditos was out of the question; scarcely one of them had been
baptized.

"Not baptized!" Maximilian exclaimed. "And this, is this fulfilling your
sacred obligations?"

The curate bowed his head. He had found them thus, when he first came, a
few weeks ago.

"And you came----"

"From Durango, sire, where as secretary I served His Senoria
Ilustrisimo, the Bishop of the state." But, as he meekly explained, he
had sought the Lord's service among the Huastecans. Pastors were said to
be needed, yet never had he imagined----He stopped short, in naive
embarrassment.

Maximilian appreciated his delicacy in not wishing to reflect on the
Huasteca bishop. But from others he learned that neither baptism nor
other spiritual office had been performed in the community for years and
years, and that the bishop resided in the capitol, because among his
flock he had neither comforts nor a befitting state.

"But why," Maximilian demanded sternly, "have you not put to use the few
weeks you have been here?"

The curate's small eyes leaped to adventure. But he lowered them
hastily, and folded his hands over his rounded soutane. He had heard
tha