The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-02-13

voices, Int could not be sure, so loud
was the clatter Of the horses hoofs. AS
they reached the square they drew rein
swiftly, the horses standing upright at
the sudden halt. Then strange sounds
came TO them through the open doors or
the church-ribald shouts and loud
laughter curses and noise OF smashing
glass, such songs as never were sung In
Carmelo before-an Internal clash or
sound which mingled anonymously
with the solemn mass Of the surf. Cho-
nitas eyes flashed. Even Estenega's
face darkened; the traditions planted in
plastic youth arose and rebelled at the
desecration.
''Some drunken sailors" he said.
"There-do you see that| A craft
rounded Point Lobos. Pirates"
Holy Maryw exclaimed Chonita.
"Let down your hair" he said, per-
emptorily, land follow all that sug-
gest. We will drive them out"
She obeyed him without question, ex-
cited and interested. Then they rode to
the doors and threw them wide.
The upper end of the long church was
swarming with pirates; there was no
mistaking those bold, cruel faces, black
ened by sun and wind. half covered with
ragged hair They stood on the benches,
they bestrode the railing, they swarmed
over the altar, shouting and carousing
in riotous wassail. Their coarse red
shirts were flung back from hairy chests;
their faces were distorted with rum and
sacrilegious delight. Every station, every
candlestick, had been hurled to the floor
and trampled upon. The crucifix stood
on its head. Sitting high on the altar,
reeling and waving communion COB
let, was the drunken chief, singing a
blasphemous song of the pirate seas. The
voices rumbled strangely down the hol-
low body of the church. To perfect the
scene flames should have leaped among
the swinging arms and bounding forms.
Come" said Estenega He spurred
his horse, and together they galloped
down the stone pavement Of the edifice.
The men turned at the loud sound of
horses hoofs, but the riders were in their
midst, scattering them right and left,
before they realized what was happening.
The horses were brought TO sudden
halt. Estenega rose in his stirrups, his
fine bold face looking down impassively
upon the demoniacal gang who could
have rent him apart, but who stood silent
and startled, gazing from him TO the
beautiful woman, whose white gown
looked part of the white horse she rode.
Estenega raised his hand and pointed TO
Chonita.
1.-The virgin" he said, in hollow, i'm
pressive voice. "The mother of God.
She has come to defend her church.
Go!"
Chonita's face blanched to the lips,
but she looked at the sacrilegists sternly.
Fortune favored the audacity of Estene-
ga. The sunlight drifting through the
star window above the doors at the
lower end of the church smote the up
lifted golden head of Chonita, wreathing
it with halo, gifting the face with un-
earthly beauty.
Cor repeated Estenega, '1est she
weep. With every tear a heart will
cease to beat"
altar and ran like rat past Chonita, his
swollen mouth dropping. The others
crouched and followed, stumbling one
over the other, their dark, evil faces
bloodless, their knees knocking together
with superstitious terror. They fled
from the church and down to the bay
and swan to their craft. Estenega and
Chonita rode out. They watched the
ugly vessel scurry around Point Lobos;
then Chonita spoke for the first time.
"Blasphemer" she exclaimed. Moth
er of God, wilt thou ever forgive mey'
"Why not call me Jesuit? 1t was a
case where mind or matter must tri-
umph. And you can confess your en-
forced sin. say hundred aves or so,
and be winter than snow again, whereas,
had our Mission of Carmelo been razed
to the ground, as it was in fair way to
be, California would have lost an histor-
ical monument"
"And Junipero Serra's bones are there,
and it was his favorite mission" said the
girl unwillingly.
Exactly. And now that you are rea-
kOndDly sure OI DelHS forgiven, VIII HOJ
you forgive me? l shall ask no priests
forgiveness"
She looked at him moment, then
shook her head. "No; / cannot forgive
you for having made me commit what
may be mortal sin. But, holy heavenl
Il cannot help saying it-you are very
quick!'
For each idea is a moment born.
Upon whether we wed the two or think
too late depends the success or failure of
our lives"
"Suppose, she said suddenly, "sup-
pose you had failed, and those men had
seized me and made me captive; what
them"
II should have killed you. Not one
Of them should have touched you. But
/ had no doubts. or ! should not have
made the attempt. know the super
stitious nature of sailors, especially when
they are drunk. Shall we gallol backl
They will have eaten all the dulces."