cease to beat."

The chief scrambled down from the altar and ran like a 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 swam 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. "Mother of God, wilt thou ever forgive
me?"

"Why not call me a Jesuit? It was a case where mind or matter must
triumph. And you can confess your enforced sin, say a hundred aves or
so, and be whiter than snow again; whereas, had our Mission of Carmelo
been razed to the ground, as it was in a fair way to be, California
would have lost an historical monument."

"And Junipero Serra's bones are there, and it was his favorite
Mission," said the girl, unwillingly.

"Exactly. And now that you are reasonably sure of being forgiven, will
not you forgive me? I shall ask no priest's forgiveness."

She looked at him a moment, then shook her head. "No: I cannot forgive
you for having made me commit what may be a mortal sin. But, Holy
Heaven!--I cannot help saying it--you are very quick!"

"For each idea is a moment born. Upon whether we wed the two or think