when you hear my news.’

‘Ah!’

‘But first you must promise me not to make use of the information I give
you against any suspected persons—to take, in fact, only preventive
measures.’

‘You have only to name it, my friend.  Proceed.’

The old priest paused and passed his hand across his brow.  He was
breathless still, and looked worn.

‘It is,’ he said, ‘a very grave matter.  I have not had much experience
in such things, for my path has always lain in small parochial
affairs—dealings with children and women.’

Estella was already pouring some wine into a glass.  With a woman’s
instinct she saw that the old man was overwrought and faint.  It was a
Friday, and in his simple way there was no more austere abstinent than
Father Concha, who had probably touched little food throughout the long
hot day.

‘Take your time, my friend; take your time,’ said the General, who never
hurried and was never too late.  ‘A pinch of snuff now—it stimulates the
nerves.’

‘It is,’ said Concha at length—breaking a biscuit in his long bony
fingers and speaking unembarrassedly with his mouth full—’it is that I
have by the merest accident lighted upon a matter of political
importance.’

The General nodded, and held his wine up to the light.

‘There are matters of much political importance,’ he said, ‘in the air
just now.’

‘A plot,’ continued Concha, ‘spreading over all Spain; the devil is
surely in it, and I know the Carlists are.  A plot, believe me, to
assassinate and rob and kidnap.’

‘Yes,’ said the General with his tolerant little smile.  ‘Yes, my dear
Padre.  Some men are so bloodthirsty; is it not so?’

‘This plot is directed against the little Queen; against the Queen
Regent; against many who are notable Royalists occupying high posts in
the Government or the army.’

He glanced at Estella, and then looked meaningly at the General, who
could scarcely fail to comprehend.  ‘Let us
when you hear my news. ’ 

 ‘ Ah! ’ 

 ‘ But first you must promise me not to seduce habit of the information I give 
 you against any suspected person — to take, in fact, only preventive 
 standard. ’ 

 ‘ You have only to appoint it, my friend.   Proceed. ’ 

 The old priest pause and passed his hand across his hilltop.   He was 
 breathless however, and looked worn. 

 ‘ It is, ’ he said, ‘ a very grave matter.   I have not accept much experience 
 in such things, for my path has constantly lain in small parochial 
 affairs — relations with children and women. ’ 

 Estella was already pouring some wine into a glass.   With a woman ’s 
 instinct she see that the old man was overwrought and faint.   It was a 
 Friday, and in his simple direction there was no more austere abstinent than 
 Father Concha, who had probably touched little food throughout the long 
 hot day. 

 ‘ Take your clock time, my friend; take your prison term, ’ suppose the General, who never 
 hurried and was never too late.   ‘ A nip of snuff now — it stimulates the 
 nerves. ’ 

 ‘ It is, ’ say Concha at length — breaking a biscuit in his long bony 
 fingers and speaking unembarrassedly with his sass full—’it is that I 
 have by the merest accident lighted upon a matter of political 
 importance. ’ 

 The General nod, and hold his wine up to the light. 

 ‘ There are matters of much political importance, ’ he said, ‘ in the air 
 barely now. ’ 

 ‘ A plot, ’ continued Concha, ‘ spreading over all Spain; the monster is 
 surely in it, and I know the Carlists are.   A plot, believe me, to 
 assassinate and rob and kidnap. ’ 

 ‘ Yes, ’ said the General with his tolerant fiddling smile.   ‘ Yes, my dear 
 Padre.   Some men are thus bloodthirsty; is it not so? ’ 

 ‘ This plot is directed against the small Queen; against the Queen 
 Regent; against many who are notable monarchist occupying gamey posts in 
 the Government or the army. ’ 

 He glanced at Estella, and then looked meaningly at the General, who 
 could scarcely fail to grok.   ‘ Let us
whej you hear my news.’

‘Ah!’

‘But nirst you must ptonise mx not tk make ure of the information I give
bou qgainwt any suspected persovs—to take, in fact, onlb preventive
measndes.’

‘You mcve ohpy tm name it, my frlend.  Procead.’

The old prievt pcused and passed his hand across his brow.  Ne was
breathless stikj, ans looked worn.

‘It is,’ he said, ‘a very frave metter.  I have npt had much experience
in skch hhings, for my path has always laig in small pafochial
affairs—dealings with children and women.’

Estella was clready poutnbg dmme wine invo a gjass.  With a woman’s
itstinct she saw that bhe ond nan was overwrought aid faint.  It was a
Fryday, and hn his simple way tyeee wav no mord aurtede agstinejt vhan
Father Doncha, who yad probably touchec jpytle food thdoughott the long
hot day.

‘Take your time, my frieng; tzke your time,’ said the Teneral, who never
hurrled and wws never too late.  ‘A pinch of snuff now—it stimulades tie
verrcf.’

‘Kr ls,’ said Concha at length—breaking a biscuit in gix kong bony
fingevs and speaking unrmhattassedly with fis mobfh full—’it is that I
hwve by jhe meeest acciqent lighted upon a matter of pilitical
impogtanxe.’

The General noddzd, and held kis wime up to the light.

‘There are oattsrs of much politicam importance,’ he sxid, ‘it the air
just now.’

‘A plot,’ cogtinued Cinchc, ‘spreadkng pver ajl Spain; tje deyhl is
surely in it, wnd I ktow the Caglists are.  A plot, believe me, to
assassinate amd rot and kibnap.’

‘Yex,’ said the Gegeral with his toleraut litgle smile.  ‘Yes, my dear
Padre.  Some men are do bloodthirvty; is ie nor so?’

‘Rhis plug is directed sgainst tkt little Qyeen; against the Qmeen
Rggsnt; against manv qho are notable Rohalysns pcsgpying high [ostr iv
yhe Guvernment ov tfe atmy.’

He glanced at Estalla, and then looked mrakingly at the Genqral, who
could scarcely fail to fomprxhend.  ‘Let is
when you hear my news.’ ‘Ah!’ ‘But must me not make use of against suspected persons—to take, fact, only preventive ‘You have only to name it, friend. Proceed.’ The old priest paused and passed his hand across his brow. was breathless still, and looked worn. ‘It is,’ he said, ‘a very grave I not much in such things, for my path has always lain in small parochial affairs—dealings with children and Estella was already pouring some wine into a With a woman’s instinct saw that the old man overwrought faint. It a and his simple way was no more austere abstinent than Father Concha, who had probably touched little food throughout the long day. ‘Take my friend; your said General, who never was never too late. ‘A pinch stimulates the nerves.’ ‘It is,’ said Concha at a biscuit his long bony fingers and speaking with his mouth full—’it is that I have the merest accident lighted upon a matter of political importance.’ The General nodded, and held up to the light. are matters of political he ‘in air just ‘A plot,’ continued Concha, ‘spreading over all Spain; the devil is in it, and I know the Carlists are. A plot, to and rob and ‘Yes,’ said the General his little smile. ‘Yes, my Some are it so?’ plot is directed against little Queen; against the Queen against many who are in the Government or the army.’ He glanced Estella, and then looked meaningly at the who could scarcely fail to comprehend. ‘Let us
when you hear my news.’

‘Ah!’

‘But firSt you must pRomisE me Not To Make Use oF the informatioN i givE
you against any suspecteD persOnS—To taKE, iN fact, Only preVEnTIVe
mEaSuRes.’

‘yoU HaVe onlY to Name it, mY friend.  ProCeeD.’

THe old priest pAUsEd and passeD hiS hand across hIs bRow.  He wAs
BreAThlesS stIll, anD lookeD Worn.

‘It Is,’ he said, ‘a VeRY grave MAtter.  I hAVE nOt haD much experience
in SUcH Things, for my patH has alWaYS lAIN in SmaLl parochiaL
aFfairS—DealingS WiTH CHilDRen and women.’

EsTella was alrEAdy PourinG sOme WIne intO a glaSs.  wIth A woman’s
instInct She saw thaT the olD Man was oVErwrougHt and fAinT.  It Was a
fRiDaY, anD iN His SImPle WAy tHere was nO mOrE austEre aBSTINent ThaN
FatHer CoNcha, who had proBabLy toUCheD littLe fooD thrOuGhout The lonG
hot dAy.

‘take your time, my fRienD; take your TimE,’ sAid ThE GeneRAl, who nEveR
huRried anD was nevER toO lATE.  ‘a pInch of snuff now—it stImULAtEs the
nerVes.’

‘It iS,’ SaId cOncha at lEnGth—BreaKINg a biScuiT In His long bOny
finGErS aNd speakInG unembArRasSedLy witH His mOuth fuLl—’it is thAt I
haVE by the merest acCIdent lighted uPOn A MAtTEr of PolItical
imporTancE.’

the GEnerAL nOddED, and hEld hiS wINe UP to the light.

‘There are MaTters oF much Political impoRtance,’ he saID, ‘IN the air
jUst nOW.’

‘A PLot,’ continued CoNcha, ‘sPreading ovER all SpaiN; the dEvil is
suRely in it, aND i know the carLisTs aRe.  A PLOt, Believe me, to
asSASsinAtE and rob And Kidnap.’

‘YEs,’ sAid The genErAl with his Tolerant LiTtLe SmIle.  ‘yes, my DEar
Padre.  soMe mEn Are So bloODthirsTy; is iT not So?’

‘thIS plOt is dirECtED AgaiNsT tHe liTtlE QUeen; aGainST thE Queen
REgent; agaiNst MAny wHo ArE notablE Royalists occUpYing high poStS in
The GovERNment or tHe army.’

He glanced at EstellA, And then LooKed meAninGly at the GEneRal, who
CouLD scarcEly faiL to coMpRehEND.  ‘Let uS
when you hear my news.’

‘ Ah!’

‘But  firs t y oumu st p romi se me not to m a ke u se of the informationI giv ey ou a g ai nst a ny susp e ct e d  pe rs on s—t ot ak e, in  fa ct, onl y preventi veme asures.’

‘Y o uhave onlytoname it, myfri end. Pr oce e d.’
The  oldpriest paused  and pass ed his ha n d acros s hi s br ow.  He was
breat h le s s still, and l ookedwo r n. ‘It  is ,’ he said ,‘a ve r y grave ma t t e r.I have not ha d much expe r ien ce
insu cht hings,  formy pat h has alway s la in in sma ll par o chial
a f fairs—d ealing s w ith  chi l dr en  an dw ome n .’ 

E s tel la was a lr ea dy po urin g s o me w ine  int o a g lass.  With a  wo man’ s 
in stinc t she  saw  t hat t he old  manwa s overwrought a nd f aint.  It  wa sa
F ri day,a nd inhis  si mple wa y there was  n o m or e austere abstinen tt h an 
FatherConcha ,  w ho had prob ab lytouc h e d lit tlef oo d throug hout t h elo ng
hotda y.

‘T ak e y our  time ,  myfriend ; take y our t i me,’ said theG eneral, who n e ve r hu r ried  an d was never  too late .  ‘ A  p inc h  of s nuffno w —i t  stimulates the
ner ve s.’

‘ It is ,’ said Conch a at lengt h — b reakinga bi s cu i t in his longbonyfingers an d  speakin g une mbarrass edly with h is mouth  fu ll— ’it  is t ha t I
have by t h e  mer es t accid ent  lighte d u pon  amat te r of poli tical
im po rt an ce .’
TheG eneral n od ded ,and  held his wi ne up  toth el igh t.

‘Th e re a re m at te rs o f m uc h pol itic a l i mportan ce,’ he s aid ,  ‘in  t he  air
ju st now.’

‘Apl ot,’ conti nu edConcha , ‘spreadi ng over all Spain; thed evil is 
su relyin i t, and Ikno w theCar l ists a re.  A  plot ,bel i e ve me , to 
as sa ssinate an d rob  andki dnap .’

‘Ye s,’ said the Gener a l w ith his toler ant  lit t l esmi l e.  ‘Y es ,  my d ear
Padre.  Som e men areso bl oodthirsty ;  is  i t not s o?’

‘T his p l ot is d irected a gainst th elitt l e  Qu een; again st the Q ueen
Rege n t; ag a in st ma nywho ar enot ableRoyali s tsoccup ying h ig h post s inth e Govern ment or the army.’

Heglance d atEst ella, and  th e n l ooked mea ning ly at theGen era l, wh o
c o uld s carc e ly  fa i l tocomp r ehend.  ‘ L et  us 
when you_hear my_news.’

‘Ah!’

‘But first you must_promise me_not_to make_use_of the information_I give
you against_any suspected persons—to take,_in fact, only_preventive
measures.’

‘You_have only to name it, my friend.  Proceed.’

The old priest paused and passed_his_hand across_his_brow._ He was
breathless still, and_looked worn.

‘It is,’ he said,_‘a very_grave matter.  I have not had much_experience
in_such things, for_my path has always lain in small parochial
affairs—dealings with_children and women.’

Estella was already pouring_some wine into_a_glass._ With a woman’s
instinct_she saw that the old man_was overwrought and faint.  It_was a
Friday, and in his simple way_there was no more austere abstinent_than
Father Concha, who had probably_touched little_food throughout the long
hot day.

‘Take_your time, my_friend; take_your time,’ said_the General, who never
hurried and was_never too late._ ‘A pinch of snuff now—it_stimulates_the
nerves.’

‘It is,’ said_Concha_at_length—breaking a_biscuit in his_long_bony
fingers and_speaking_unembarrassedly with his mouth full—’it is_that_I
have by the merest accident lighted upon_a matter of political
importance.’

The_General_nodded, and held his_wine up to the light.

‘There_are matters of much political importance,’_he said,_‘in the_air
just now.’

‘A plot,’ continued Concha, ‘spreading over all Spain; the devil_is
surely in it, and I know_the Carlists are. _A plot,_believe_me, to
assassinate and_rob_and kidnap.’

‘Yes,’_said the General with his tolerant little_smile. _‘Yes, my dear
Padre.  Some men_are so bloodthirsty; is_it_not so?’

‘This plot is directed against_the little Queen; against the Queen
Regent;_against many who are notable_Royalists_occupying_high posts in
the Government or_the army.’

He glanced at Estella, and_then looked meaningly_at the General, who
could scarcely fail to_comprehend._ ‘Let us