ll in confusion.

"May I come to-morrow?" he asked after a moment.

"You know that to me you are always welcome," she said in a weak voice.

Ibarra left, calm in appearance, but a tempest was in his brain and
freezing cold in his heart. What he had just seen and comprehended
seemed to him incomprehensible. Was it doubt, inconstancy, betrayal?

"Oh, woman!" he murmured.

Without knowing where he went, he arrived at the ground where the
school was going up. Senor Juan hailed him with delight, and showed
him what had been done since he went away.

With surprise Ibarra saw Elias among the workmen; the helmsman saluted
him, as did the others, and at the same time made him understand that
he had something to say to him.

"Senor Juan," said Ibarra, "will you bring me the list of
workmen?" Senor Juan disappeared, and Ibarra approached Elias, who
was lifting a great stone and loading it on a cart.

"If you can, senor," said the helmsman, "give me an hour of
conversation, there is something grave of which I want to talk with
you. Will you go on the lake early this evening in my boat?"

Ibarra gave a sign of assent and Elias moved away. Senor Juan brought
the list, but Ibarra searched it in vain for the name of the helmsman.

XLI.

THE VOICE OF THE PERSECUTED.

The sun was just setting when Ibarra stepped into the little boat on
the lake shore. He appeared disturbed.

"Pardon me, senor," said Elias, "for having asked this favor; I wished
to speak to you freely, with no possibility of listeners."

"And what have you to say?"

They had already shot away from the bank. The sun had disappeared
behind the crest of the mountains, and as twilight is of short
duration in this latitude, the night was descending rapidly, lighted
by a brilliant moon.

"Senor," replied Elias, "I am the spokesman of many unfortunates." And
briefly he told of his conversation with the chief of the tulisanes,
omitting the old man's doubts and threats.

"And they wish?" asked Ibarra, when he had finished.

"Radical reforms in the guard, the clergy, and the administration
of justice."

"Elias," said Ibarra, "I know little of you, but I believe you will
understand me when I say that though I have friends at Madrid whom
I might influence, and though I might interest the captain-general
in these people, neither they nor he could bring about such a
revolution. And more, I would not take a step in this direction,
because I believe wha