m. "You have been very good to
me," I said. "Some time, if I live and gain my own, I will repay you."

He came to me again, his eyes still shining brightly, and he looked
eagerly into mine, as though, too, he had decided to impart something to
me; but a second later an expression of doubt rested on his face. "No,"
I heard him say; "I must do it myself, and alone, if I can--if I can."

We parted then. I made my way up the side of a sloping place along the
cliff, while Eli followed close at my heels. When we reached the grassy
headland I looked back, and saw the stranger still standing at the
mouth of the cave. I looked around me. Not a house of any sort was to be
seen; only a rugged, bleak coastline was visible. I saw, however, that
some of the land was cultivated, and so I knew that there must be some
farmhouses in the near distance.

After walking for about a quarter of an hour we came to a lane, but it
was grass-grown, and was evidently but seldom used. I looked around me
and espied a gray church tower. This gladdened my heart, for it was
pleasant to think of the House of God situated in a bleak, barren
countryside. I was about to make my way toward it when I heard the click
of a labourer's pick. I jumped on a fence and saw a man hedging.

"What is the name of that church?" I asked.

"St. Eval, sur."

I looked at the man more closely. He looked far more intelligent than
the ordinary labourer. "Do you know much about this neighbourhood?" I
asked.

"I've lived 'ere oal my life, sur."

"Do you know of any convent in this neighbourhood?"

"Convent, convent?" he repeated, questioningly.

"Yes," I replied; "a place that belongs to the Catholics--a place where
priests and nuns live."

He looked at me suspiciously, as though he suspected that I had evil
motives in asking such a question. "No, sur," he said presently. Then he
gave a start, and I turned and saw that Eli had come to my side. "Is
he--is he the devil?" he gasped.

"No; only a dwarf."

"You'm sa big and 'ee sa small, it do seem funny," he laughed,
nervously.

"What is the nearest town?" I asked.

"St. Columb, sur."

I made up my mind to go to St. Columb, and was asking the man how far it
was, when another thought struck me. "There's a parson at St. Eval, I
suppose?"

"Aw, iss, sur; hes 'ouse ed'n fur from the church."

"Is he a man that you like?"

"Aw, iss, sur; everybody do like the passon."

I made my way toward St. Eval, and after hal