ll watch him."

"Where shall I find Leon de Mogente?" said Marcos to the monk. "I do not
wish to disturb other persons."

The monk reflected for a moment.

"It is the third door on the right," he said at length, nodding his
shaven head towards a long passage seen through the open door.

Marcos went in, his spurred heels clanking loudly in the half-empty
house. He knocked at the door of the third cell on the right; for in his
way he was a devout person and wished to disturb no man at his prayers.
The door was opened by Leon himself, who started back when he saw who had
knocked. Marcos went into the room which was small and bare and
whitewashed, and closed the door behind him. A few religious emblems were
on the wall above the narrow bed. A couple of books lay on the table. One
was open. It was a very old edition of a Kempis. Leon de Mogente's
religion was of the sort that felt itself able to learn more from an old
edition than a new one. There are many in these days of cheap imitation
of the mediaeval who feel the same.

Leon sat down on the plain wooden bench and laid his hand on the open
book. He looked with weak eyes at Marcos and waited for him to speak.
Marcos obliged him at once.

"I have come to see you about Juanita," he said. "Have you given your
consent to her taking the veil?"

Leon reflected. He had the air of a man who having been carefully taught
a part, loses his place at the first cue.

"What business is it of yours?" he asked, rather hesitatingly at length.

"None."

Leon made a hopeless gesture of the hand and looked at his book with a
face of distress and embarrassment. Marcos was sorry for him. He was
strong, and it is the strong who are quickest to detect pathos.

"Will you answer me?" he asked.

And Leon shook his head.

"I have come here to warn you," said Marcos, not unkindly. "I know that
Juanita has inherited a fortune from her father. I know that the Carlist
cause is falling for want of money. I know that the Jesuits will get the
money if they can. Because Don Carlos is their last chance in their last
stronghold in Europe. They will get Juanita's money if they can--and they
can only do it by forcing Juanita into religion. And I have come to warn
you that I shall prevent them."

Leon looked at Marcos and gulped something down in his throat. He was not
afraid of Marcos, but he was in terror of some one or of something else.
Marcos studied the white face, the shrinking, hunted eye