ne at once."

"Why?" she asked. And she was grave enough now.

"Because they have sent to Rome for a dispensation of your novitiate.
They wish to hurry you into religion at once."

"Yes," she said. "I know. But why?"

"Because they want your money."

"But I have none, or very little. They have told me so."

"That is a lie," said Marcos, bluntly.

"Oh, but you must not say that," she whispered, with a sort of horror.
"Father Muro told me so. He represents Heaven on earth. We are told he
does."

"He does it badly," said Marcos, quietly.

Juanita reflected for a moment. Then suddenly she stamped her foot on the
pavement worn by the feet of generations of holy men.

"I will not go into religion," she said. "I will not. I always feel that
there is something wrong in all they say. And with you and Uncle Ramon it
is different. I know at once that what you say is quite simple and plain
and honest; that you have no other meaning in what you say but that which
the words convey. Marcos--you and Uncle Ramon must take me away from
here. I cannot get away. I am hemmed in on every side."

"We can take you away," answered Marcos slowly, "if you like."

She turned and looked at him, her attention caught by some tense note in
his voice.

"What do you mean?" she asked. "Your face is so odd and white. What do
you mean, Marcos?"

"We can take you away, but you must marry me."

She gave a short laugh and stopped suddenly.

"Oh--you must not joke," she said. "You must not laugh. It is my whole
life, remember."

"I am not laughing. It is no joke," said Marcos steadily.

"What...?"

For a moment they sat in silence. The low chanting of vespers came to
their ears through the curtained doors of the Cathedral.

"Listen to them," said Juanita suddenly. "They are half asleep. They are
not thinking of what they are singing. They are taking snuff
surreptitiously behind their hands to keep themselves awake. And it is
we, poor wretched schoolgirls and nuns who have to keep the saints in a
good humour by attending to every word and being most preposterously
devout whether we feel inclined to be or not. No, I will not go into
religion. That is certain. Marcos, I would rather marry you than that--if
it is necessary."

"It is necessary."

"But they can have all the money; every real,'" suggested Juanita
hopefully.

"No; they have tried that way. They cannot do it in these times. The only
way they can get the money is for you t