w?"

"No, senor," replied Lucas, frightened.

"Then, sulung! (Go along). You brute! You ass!" And they gave him
a shove.

"Do you know why Elias is tall, according to the alferez, and why he
is short, according to the curate?" asked the Tagalog of the other.

"No."

"Because the alferez was stuck in a mud hole when he observed him,
and the curate was on foot when he saw him."

"That's right!" exclaimed the Visayan. "You are bright. Why are you
a Guardia Civil?"

"I haven't been always. I was a smuggler at one time," replied the
Tagalog boastingly.

But another form attracted their attention. They called out "Quien
Vive?" and brought him up to the light. This time it was Elias himself.

"Where are you going?"

"I am pursuing, senor, a man who has whipped and threatened my
brother. He has a scar on his face and his name is Elias----"

"Ha?" exclaimed the two, and looked at each other frightened.

And at once they started on a run toward the church, where a few
minutes before Lucas had disappeared.

CHAPTER XXXIV

THE DISCOVERY.

The bell announces the hour of evening prayer. On hearing the
religious sound, all stop, leave their work and uncover their heads;
the laborer, coming from the fields on the carabao's back, suspends
the song to which the animal keeps step, and prays; the women in the
middle of the street make the sign of the cross, and move their lips
with affectation so that no one may doubt their devotion: the man
stops fondling his game-cock and recites the Angelus so that he may
have good luck; in the houses, they pray in a loud voice ... every
sound which is not a part of the Ave Maria is dissipated, silenced.

However, the curate, without his hat, hastily crosses the street,
scandalizing many old women. And still more scandalous, he directs
his steps towards the alferez's house. The devout women think that
it is time for them to stop the movement of their lips and to kiss
the curate's hand, but Father Salvi takes no notice of them. To-day
he finds no pleasure in placing his bony hand under a Christian's
nose. Some important business must be occupying him that he should
so forget his own interests and those of the Church!

He goes up the stairs and knocks impatiently at the alferez's door. The
latter appears, his eyebrows knit and followed by his better half,
who smiles malignantly.

"Ah, Father Curate! I was just going to see you. Your he-goat...."

"I have a most import