ry about her sons that nobody could clear up."

"What!" demanded the alferez, turning to the curate. "It is perhaps
the mother of your sacristans?"

The curate nodded assent.

"They have disappeared, and there hasn't been the slightest effort to
find them," said Don Filipo severely, looking at the gobernadorcillo,
who lowered his eyes.

"Bring back the woman," Crisostomo ordered his servants.

"They have disappeared, did you say?" demanded the alferez. "Your
sacristans have disappeared, Father Salvi?"

The curate emptied his glass and made another affirmative sign.

"Ho, ho! father," cried the alferez with a mocking laugh, rejoiced at
the prospect of revenge. "Your reverence loses a few pesos, and my
sergeant is routed out to find them; your two sacristans disappear,
your reverence says nothing; and you also, senor gobernadorcillo,
you also----"

He did not finish, but broke off laughing, and buried his spoon in
the red flesh of a papaw.

The curate began with some confusion:

"I was responsible for the money."

"Excellent reply, reverend pastor of souls!" interrupted the alferez,
his mouth full. "Excellent reply, holy man!"

Ibarra was on the point of interfering, but the priest recovered
himself.

"Do you know, senor alferez," he asked, "what is said about the
disappearance of these children? No? Then ask your soldiers."

"What!" cried the alferez, thus challenged, abandoning his mocking
tone.

"They say that on the night when they disappeared shots were heard
in the pueblo."

"Shots?" repeated the alferez, looking at the faces around him. There
were several signs of assent.

Brother Salvi went on with a sarcastic smile:

"Come! I see that you do not know how to arrest criminals, that you
are unaware of what your soldiers do, but that you are ready to turn
yourself into a preacher and teach others their duty."

"Senores," interrupted Ibarra, seeing the alferez grow pale, "I wish
to know what you think of a project I've formed. I should like to
give the mother into the care of a good physician. I've promised the
father to try to find his children."

The return of the servants without Sisa gave a new turn to the
conversation. The luncheon was finished. While the tea and coffee
were being served the guests separated into groups, the elders to
play cards or chess, while the girls, curious to learn their destiny,
posed questions to the "Wheel of Fortune."

"Come, Senor Ibarra!" cried Captain Ba