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invitation； which； under the circumstances； I shall consider equal
to a command from Mr。 Brimmer； was to be accepted at once and
without delay； and I certainly shall not leave Miss Chubb exposed
to imminent danger for two hours to meet the caprice of an entire
stranger to Mr。 Brimmer。〃
〃I am willing to stay with Father Esteban； if he will let me；〃 said
Eleanor Keene quietly； 〃for I have faith in Mr。 Hurlstone's
influence and courage； and believe he will be successful。〃
The young man thanked her with another demonstrative look that
brought the warm blood to her cheek。
〃Well；〃 said Mrs。 Markham promptly； 〃I suppose if Nell stays I must
see the thing through and stay with hereven if I haven't orders
from Jimmy。〃
〃There is no necessity that either Mr。 or Mrs。 Brimmer should be
disobeyed in their wishes；〃 said Hurlstone grimly。 〃Luckily there
are two boats； Mrs。 Brimmer and Miss Chubb can take one of them
with half the escort； and proceed at once to the Excelsior。 I will
ride with them as far as the boat。 And now；〃 he continued； turning
to the old priest； with sparkling eyes； 〃I have only to ask your
blessing； and the good wishes of these ladies； to go forth on my
mission of peace。 If I am successful；〃 he added； with a light
laugh； 〃confess that a layman and a heretic may do some service for
the Church。〃 As the old man laid his half detaining； half
benedictory hands upon his shoulders； the young man seized the
opportunity to whisper in his ear； 〃Remember your promise to tell
her ALL I have told you；〃 and； with an other glance at Miss Keene；
he marshalled Mrs。 Brimmer and Miss Chubb before him； and hurried
them to the boat。
Miss Keene looked after him with a vague felicity in the change
that seemed to have come on him； a change that she could as little
account for as her own happiness。 Was it the excitement of danger
that had overcome his reserve； and set free his compressed will and
energy？ She longed for her brother to see him thusalert； strong；
and chivalrous。 In her girlish faith； she had no fear for his
safety； he would conquer； he would succeed； he would come back to
them victorious！ Looking up from her happy abstraction； at the
side of Mrs。 Markham； who had calmly gone to sleep in an arm…chair；
she saw Father Esteban's eyes fixed upon her。 With a warning
gesture of the hand towards Mrs。 Markham； he rose； and； going to
the door of the sacristy； beckoned to her。 The young girl
noiselessly crossed the room and followed him into the sanctuary。
Half an hour later； and while Mrs。 Markham was still asleep； Father
Esteban appeared at the door of the sacristy ostentatiously taking
snuff； and using a large red handkerchief to wipe his more than
usually humid eyes。 Eleanor Keene； with her chin resting on her
hand； remained sitting as he had left her； with her abstracted eyes
fixed vacantly on the lamp before the statue of the Virgin and the
half…lit gloom of the nave。
Padre Esteban had told her ALL！ She now knew Hurlstone's history
even as he had hesitatingly imparted it to the old priest in this
very churchperhaps upon the very seat where she sat。 She knew
the peace that he had sought for and found within these walls；
broken only by his passion for her！ She knew his struggles against
the hopelessness of this new…born love； even the desperate remedy
that had been adopted against herself； and the later voluntary
exile of her lover。 She knew the providential culmination of his
trouble in the news brought unconsciously by Perkins； which； but a
few hours ago； he had verified by the letters； records； and even
the certificate of death that had thus strangely been placed in his
hands！ She knew all this so clearly now； that； with the instinct
of a sympathetic nature； she even fancied she had heard it before。
She knew that all the obstacles to an exchange of their affection
had been removed； that her lover only waited his opportunity to
hear from her own lips the answer that was even now struggling at
her heart。 And yet she hesitated and drew back； half frightened in
the presence of her great happiness。 How she longed； and yet
dreaded； to meet him！ What if anything should have happened to
him？what if he should be the victim of some treachery？what if
he did not come？what if？〃Good heavens！ what was that？〃
She was near the door of the sacristy； gazing into the dim and
shadowy church。 Either she was going mad； or else the grotesque
Indian hangings of the walls were certainly moving towards her。
She rose in speechless terror； as what she had taken for an
uncouthly swathed and draped barbaric pillar suddenly glided to the
window。 Crouching against the wall； she crept breathlessly towards
the entrance to the garden。 Casting a hurried glance above her；
she saw the open belfry that was illuminated by the misty radiance
of the moon； darkly shadowed by hideously gibbering faces that
peered at her through the broken tracery。 With a cry of horror she
threw open the garden…door； but the next moment was swallowed up in
the tumultuous tide of wild and half naked Indians who surged
against the walls of the church； and felt herself lifted from her
feet； with inarticulate cries； and borne along the garden。 Even in
her mortal terror； she could recognize that the cries were not
those of rage； but of vacant satisfaction； that although she was
lifted on lithe shoulders； the grasp of her limbs was gentle； and
the few dark faces she could see around her were glistening in
childlike curiosity。 Presently she felt herself placed upon the
back of a mule； that seemed to be swayed hither and thither in the
shifting mass； and the next moment the misty； tossing cortege moved
forward with a new and more definite purpose。 She called aloud for
Father Esteban and Mrs。 Markham； her voice appeared to flow back
upon her from the luminous wall of fog that closed around her。
Then the inarticulate； irregular outcries took upon themselves a
measured rhythm； the movement of the mass formed itself upon the
monotonous chant； the intervals grew shorter； the mule broke into a
trot； and then the whole vast multitude fell into a weird；
rhythmical； jogging quick step at her side。
Whatever was the intent of this invasion of the Mission and her own
strange abduction； she was relieved by noticing that they were
going in the same direction as that taken by Hurlstone an hour
before。 Either he was cognizant of their movements； and； being
powerless to prevent their attack on the church； had stipulated
they were to bring her to him in safety； or else he was calculating
to intercept them on the way。 The fog prevented her from forming
any estimation of the numbers that surrounded her； or if the Padre
and Mrs。 Markham were possibly preceding her as captives in the
vanguard。 She felt the breath of the sea； and knew they were
traveling along the shore； the monotonous chant and jogging motion
gradually dulled her active terror