The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-01-07

WltNout giving the Danger second
thought, I lifted my lantern to the
aperture and turned on the current.
fwould have given large sum to have
seen the effect from the church side;
1t must have been more than startling.
could tell the exact instant when the
lay brother raised his eyes to the top
Of the cruciflx by the way. his MUIR
muring stopped short. There was q
gasp of astonishment too great for
louder articulation, SILVER of ecstat-
ic fear; and when squinted through
the hole, after shutting off the cur
rent, he was groveling, face down,
upon the chancel floor.
This was my opportunity. Calculat-
Ing that he wouldn't dare raise his
eyes for several moments, no matter
what strange noises echoed through
the church, I slipped around through
the postern and succeeded in restor-
ing to Padre Bartolomeo's snoring
torso his bunch of keys without being
seen. Once back in my room, locked
the door and put chair against it;
for was considerably shaken up, and
looked as though I had spent week
in the Internal regions.
Breakfast was fortunately late, so
I had time to battle and make myself
q little more presentable, but must
have looked seedy even then. This,
however, was naturally laid to the
dinner party of the previous evening,
none of the gentlemen feeling very
positive as to when or just how he had
parted from the others. I thought
that when the padres got thoroughly
walked up and had time to get the lay
brothers experience through their
heads there was likely to be more Of
q sensation than the little town had
known in many moons; so, complain
ing of a severe headache, invited the
colonel and his daughter to sail with
me in the new proa. Having to hear
few cases at The tribunal that morn
ing, he politely declined, but assured
me that Dorotea would be pleased
to go.
This was better than had bargained
for. Knowing the strict ideas in re-
gard to chaperonage which regulate
Spanish society," never occurred to
permitted; but l found that Guaja
like steamer at sea, was more or less
outside of social restrictions, a law
unto itself.
The senorita seemed to have perfect
confidence in my seamanship and was
evidently glad. of such an opportunity
to ask questions. AS we skinned
along the blue water l satisfied her
curiosity regarding American women
and gave radical opinions on men Of
various nationalities - chief among
which was caution against believing
what any man said to her unless she
knew him very we'll, because they were
not all truthful and honorable like my
self. I wonder how many men have
solemnly worked this gray-bearded
old warning on girls whose society
they selfishly wished to monopolize.
And I also wonder what curious train
of thought must run through Il wom-
ans mind when she hears it from the
hundrcdth man.
1t is unnecessary to detail the pro-
grcssive steps by which our talk be-
came more confidential, or to describe
the periods of satisfactory silence
when we floated along in delicious idle
ness under shortened sail. the north
east trade wind gently tanning our
cheeks and the cottony clouds reflect
ed in the broad Pacific. We two were
alone between sky and water, and the
island was mere bank upon the hori-
zon. Under such circumstances 1t is
exceedingly difficult to keep ones
thoughts from showing in the face.
and l began to feel that I could trust
this girl as had never trusted wom-
an before.
She knew that had some Interior
object in remaining at Agana, and her
manner led me to believe that she
would further it as far MS lay in her
power, at least while showed pref
erence for her society over that of
othe. women. This wasn't expressed
| in so many words. but she confessed to
| the knowledge that l had left the
house on some adventure during the
night, and to an impression that l
wanted the padre out Of the way.
though her surlnising went no fur
Their than that.
We had taken lunch with us, so it
was well toward evening when we re-
! turned, to find the town in a commo-
| ton over the strange and terrible
miracle which had been witnessed by
i lay-brother Felipe. I've often thought
| that I was an Innocent means of CIV
! ing the Holy Roman church a deeper
| root in the Ladrones than 1t ever had
before. Even'Padre Bartolomeo. who
was too willy q bird, and too we'll edu-
Gated, to be 7fooled by an ordinary
everyday miracle, was a good deal
shaken up by, the lay brothers yarn,
His superior learning had fost a
laxity in his principles, an impression
that he could'drink and gamble with
impunity; butafter thorough exam.
NATION Of the chancel. together with
unnvailing cross questioning of his
entranced ASSOCIATE. he began to Won
der If there were not more things in
Heaven and earth'than were dreamt Of
In his philosophy. However. as the
offerings which began to pour in ex.
ceeded anything in his recollection. he
kept his head, and continued to look
upon himself as blessed, though hum.
BILE. medium.
| CHAPTER x.
BY Thursday morning was ready to
start for the reef. out thought it best
to wait n couple of days longer. in or