the
Cebu cakes. He walked pensively to and fro in the spacious sala,
crumpling between his bony fingers some letters which he would read
from time to time. Finally, he called for his carriage, got ready
and ordered the coachman to take him to the woods where the picnic
was to be held. Arriving at the place, Father Salvi dismissed the
carriage and all alone, entered the forest.

A shady but difficult path runs through the thicket and leads to the
brook which is formed by the hot springs so plentiful at the base of
Mount Makiling.

For some time, Father Salvi was wandering among the thick underbrush,
here trying to evade the thorns which entangled his habit of guingon
as if to detain him; there trying to step over the roots of the trees
which stuck up through the ground and made the inexperienced traveler
stumble again and again. Suddenly he stopped. Mirthful laughter and the
sound of young voices reached his ears. The voices and the laughter
seemed to come from the direction of the brook and each time seemed
to be coming nearer.

"I am going to see if I can find a heron's nest," said a voice,
beautiful and sweet, and at once recognized by the curate. "You know
they say that if a person possesses one of those nests he can make
himself invisible to everybody. How I would like to see him and not
have him see me! I could follow him everywhere."

Father Salvi hid behind the thick trunk of an old tree and listened.

"That is to say, you want to do with him what the curate does with
you: watch him everywhere?" replied the merry voice. "Be careful,
for jealousy makes one grow thin and the eyes sink in."

"No, no. It is not jealousy, it is pure curiosity," replied the silvery
voice, while the other repeated, "yes, yes, jealousy; that's what it
is." And then she broke out in a merry chuckle.

"If I were jealous of him I would not use the heron's nest to make
myself invisible to him, but would make him invisible to everybody
else."

"But then you yourself would not be able to see him and you would
not want that to happen. The best thing to do, if we find a heron's
nest is to give it to the priest. Then he could watch us as much as
he pleased, and we would not be troubled with the sight of him. What
do you think of the idea?"

"But I don't believe in the story about the heron's nests, anyway,"
replied one. "But if I were really jealous I would know how to keep
watch of a person and make myself invisible...."

"And how?