in former days; even Hilda
looked as if she had been relieved of an incubus which had depressed her
spirits. She said nothing; she did not even mention the name of Father
Mendez, but if by chance she heard it, she gave a slight shudder, while
the frown which grew on her brow showed that whatever the influence he
had gained over her, it was not of a nature to which she willingly
submitted. He had announced that he should not be absent more than
three or four days; but more than a week elapsed and he did not return.
As no one wished him back, this caused more surprise than regret. Ten
days, then a fortnight, passed by, and the priest did not appear. At
last Pedro Alvarez whispered his suspicions to Lawrence Brindister that
the reverend father had played them a slippery trick, and left Shetland
altogether; this idea was found to be correct, when Sandy McNab, the
pedlar and great news-monger of the district, paid his next visit to
Whalsey. A foreigner who, though somewhat disguised, was recognised as
the Spanish priest, Father Mendez, had been observed going on board a
ship bound for the south, and he had not since then been seen in
Lerwick. The lieutenant was more than usually agitated when he heard
this. "There is some mischief brewing," he observed, the first moment
he found Lawrence alone. "You and I must try to fathom it, if we can.
You can be secret, Mr Lawrence, and with such a man as that cunning
priest to contend, with, we need all the caution we can exercise."

"Mum's the word with me," answered Lawrence, looking very sagacious; "I
love not the priest more than you do, for I believe he would not scruple
to stick a dagger in the back of his brother if that brother stood in
the way of any object he wished to attain. What he aims at I do not
know: whether or not he wishes to advance the interests of Hilda's
child, is what I want to discover."

Pedro shook his head. "Not he, Mr Lawrence," he answered: "he cares
not for the fatherless or the widow. I have watched him narrowly: his
aim was to get Donna Hilda completely under his thumb, so that he might
rule her and her child. While he thought that there was a prospect of
success he remained on here, but when he at length discovered that he
had totally failed, or that he could not depend for an instant on
maintaining his influence, he at once altered his whole plan. You must
understand that when we left Spain there were three persons in existence
who would