slowly, with bowed head, out of the church. I followed, closing the door
of the church and of the little side room, and saw once more the
traveler, as he rose from his knees, after receiving the padre's
blessing. A moment later he followed the padre into his room."

"I did not see them again until supper time, when I had to wait at
table. They had been some minutes at supper, but were so occupied with
their talk that they had eaten scarcely anything. The stranger was
speaking when I went in."

"'But, padre,' he said, 'what will become of your charge here, if you
carry out your intention? You know they look up to you as the head and
soul of this great mission, and would be, indeed, as sheep without their
shepherd, if you - '"

"'My son,' interrupted the padre, with a look toward me, 'we will speak
of that another time.'"

"Nothing more was said until after I had left them. I had seen the look
the padre sent in my direction. Had not it been at a time when every one
was fearing a change of some kind at the mission, I should have thought
nothing of it; but at the time, I knew we might expect something to
occur almost any day; so that when he interrupted the stranger, it was
only after enough had been said to fill me with fear. I knew, from what
he said about the sheep being without a shepherd, that we might, in some
way, lose our padre. As soon as I was free I hastened out to find
Miguel, the boy who had taken the stranger's horse. He had gone to his
house, a little way from the church."

"'Miguel,' I asked, 'do you know who is this visitor, Don Manuel, and