第4章

Inthefrontoftheinn，surroundedbyaghostlikegroupthatspokeitssuspicions，ChestertonwasliftinghissaddlefromElCapitanandrubbingthelameforeleg。Itwasnotaserioussprain。Aweekwouldsetitright，butforthatnighttheponywasuseless。

Impatiently，Chestertoncalledacrosstheplaza，beggingthelandlordtomakehaste。Hewaseagertobegone，alarmedandfearfullesteventhisslightdelayshouldcausehimtomissthetransport。Thethoughtwasintolerable。Buthewasalsoacutelyconsciousthathewasveryhungry，andhewastoooldacampaignertoscoffathunger。Withthehopethathecouldfindsomethingtocarrywithhimandeatasherodeforward，heenteredtheinn。

Themainroomofthehousewasnowindarkness，butasmallerroomadjoiningitwaslitbycandles，andbyatinytaperfloatingbeforeacrucifix。InthelightofthecandlesChestertonmadeoutabed，apriestbendingoverit，awomankneelingbesideit，anduponthebedthelittlefigureofaboywhotossedandmoaned。AsChestertonhaltedandwaitedhesitating，theprieststrodepasthim，andinavoicedullandflatwithgriefandweariness，orderedthoseatthedoortobringthelandlordquickly。Asoneofthegroupleapedtowardthecorral，thepriestsaidtotheothers:

"Thereisanotherattack。Ihavelosthope。"

Chestertonadvancedandaskedifhecouldbeofservice。Thepriestshookhishead。Thechild，hesaid，wastheonlysonofthelandlord，andmuchbelovedbyhim，andbyallthevillage。Hewasnowinthethirdweekoftyphoidfeverandtheperiodofhemorrhages。Unlesstheycouldbechecked，theboywoulddie，andthepriest，whoformanymilesofmountainandforestwasalsotheonlydoctor，hadexhaustedhisstoreofsimplemedicines。

"Nothingcanstopthehemorrhage，"heprotestedwearily，"butthestrongestofdrugs。AndIhavenothing！"

ChestertonbethoughthimofthemedicinecaseMissArmitagehadforceduponhim。"Ihavegivenopiumtothemenfordysentery，"hesaid。"Wouldopiumhelpyou？"

Thepriestsprangathimandpushedhimoutofthedoorandtowardthesaddle-bags。

"Mychildren，"hecried，tothesilentgroupintheplaza，"Godhassentamiracle！"

Afteranhouratthebedsidethepriestsaid，"Hewilllive，"andknelt，andthemotheroftheboyandthevillagerskneltwithhim。

WhenChestertonraisedhiseyes，hefoundthatthelandlord，whohadbeensilentlywatchingwhilethetwomenstruggledwithdeathforthelifeofhisson，haddisappeared。Butheheard，leavingthevillagealongthetrailtoMayaguez，thesuddenclatterofapony"shoofs。Itmovedlikeathingdrivenwithfear。

Theprieststrodeoutintothemoonlight。Intherecoveryofthechildhesawonlyademonstrationoftheefficacyofprayer，andhecouldnottooquicklybringhomethelessontohisparishioners。

AmidtheirmurmursofwonderandgratitudeChestertonrodeaway。

TothekindlycareofthepriesthebequeathedElCapitan。Withhim，also，heleftthegoldpieceswhichweretopayforthefreshpony。

Aquarterofamileoutsidethevillagethreewhitefiguresconfrontedhim。Twowhostoodapartintheshadowshrankfromobservation，butthelandlord，seatedbarebackuponaponythatfromsomelateexertionwasbreathingheavily，calledtohimtohalt。

"Inthefashionofmycountry，"hebegangrandiloquently，"wehavecomethisfartowishyouGodspeeduponyourjourney。"InthefashionoftheAmericanheseizedChestertonbythehand。"Ithankyou，senor，"hemurmured。

"Notme，"returnedChesterton。"Buttheonewhomademe"pack"

thatmedicinechest。Thankher，forto-nightIthinkitsavedalife。"

TheSpaniardregardedhimcuriously，fixinghimwithhiseyesasthoughdeepinconsideration。Atlasthesmiledgravely。

"Youareright，"hesaid。"Letusbothrememberherinourprayers。"

AsChestertonrodeawaythewordsremainedgratefullyinhismemoryandfilledhimwithpleasantthoughts。"Theworld，"hemused，"isfullofjustsuchkindandgentlesouls。"

AfteraninterminabledelayhereachedNewport，andtheyescapedfromtheothers，andMissArmitageandherandownthelawntotherocks，andstoodwiththewaveswhisperingattheirfeet。

Itwasthemomentforwhicheachhadsooftenlonged，withwhichbothhadsooftentorturedthemselvesbylivinginimagination，thatnow，thatitwastheirs，theywerefearfulitmightnotbetrue。

Finally，hesaid:"Andthecharmneverfailed！Indeed，itwaswonderful！Itstoodbymesoobviously。Forinstance，thenightbeforeSanJuan，inthemillatElPoso，Isleptonthesameponchowithanothercorrespondent。Iwokeupwitharagingappetiteforbaconandcoffee，andhewokeupoutofhismind，andwithatemperatureofonehundredandfour。Andagain，IwasstandingbyCapron"sgunatElCaney，whenashelltookthethreemenwhoservedit，andonlyscaredME。Andtherewasanothertime——"Hestopped。"Anyway，"helaughed，"hereIam。"

"Buttherewasonenight，oneawfulnight，"beganthegirl。Shetrembled，andhemadethisanaddedexcusefordrawingherclosertohim。"WhenIfeltyouwereingreatperil，thatyouwouldsurelydie。AndallthroughthenightIkneltbythewindowandlookedtowardCubaandprayed，andprayedtoGodtoletyoulive。"

Chestertonbenthisheadandkissedthetipsofherfingers。Afteramomenthesaid:"Wouldyouknowwhatnightitwas？ItmightbecuriousifIhadbeen——"

"WouldIknow！"criedthegirl。"Itwaseightdaysago。Thenightofthetwelfth。Anawfulnight！"

"Thetwelfth！"exclaimedChesterton，andlaughedandthenbeggedherpardonhumbly。"Ilaughedbecausethetwelfth，"heexclaimed，"wasthenightpeacewasdeclared。Thewarwasover。I"msorry，butTHATnightIwasridingtowardyou，thinkingonlyofyou。I

wasneverforamomentindanger。"