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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
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