thought--"

"Well, what did you think, hijo mio?" asked the priest.

"I thought, Padre, that if you liked it, and said it was done well, it
would be fine on the high roof, Padre, the angels, four of them, in the
middle of the roof: like this, Padre, see!" An he raised his hands in
the attitude in which he had seen Magdalena when she met him in the
Father's room. "I could do it, Padre, if you like it."

"Angels, Te--filo!" said the Father. "Hm! I do not know. It is hard to
paint the holy angels, and diligent as you have been, I hardly think you
are an Angelico. But go and bring what you have done, and I will see.
Indeed, it is just what I would have, but it must be well done, or it
will spoil the rest."

The boy ran off, and returned quickly with a large sheepskin on which he
had drawn in colors a really fine design: four angels in attitudes of
worship, with uplifted hands, and eyes that expressed, crudely yet well,
the wonder that the Holy Ones might well feel at the Miracle of the
Manger.

"Ah, and did you really draw this?" asked the priest. "It is excellent,
Te--filo; we must make a painter of you in earnest; perhaps we might even
send you to Mexico to be taught by a good artist. There is one of the
Brothers at the College of San Fernando who would train you well. I
think this is what San Lucas has been doing for you, after all. But how
did you do it, Te--filo? What did you draw from?"

"Padre," said Te--filo tremblingly, "I will tell you, but do not be