"The night is dark and the children are gone," murmured the poor woman. But at sight of the alferez she became frightened and ran, disappearing among the trees. "Who is it?" demanded several voices. "Isn't her name Sisa?" asked Ibarra with interest. "Your soldiers arrested her," said the lieutenant to the alferez, with some bitterness; "they brought her all the way across the pueblo for some story about her sons that nobody could clear up." "What!" demanded the alferez, turning to the curate. "It is perhaps the mother of your sacristans?" The curate nodded assent. "They have disappeared, and there hasn't been the slightest effort to find them," said Don Filipo severely, looking at the gobernadorcillo, who lowered his eyes. "Bring back the woman," Crisostomo ordered his servants. "They have disappeared, did you say?" demanded the alferez. "Your sacristans have disappeared, Father Salvi?" The curate emptied his glass and made another affirmative sign. "Ho, ho! father," cried the alferez with a mocking laugh, rejoiced at the prospect of revenge. "Your reverence loses a few pesos, and my sergeant is routed out to find them; your two sacristans disappear, your reverence says nothing; and you also, senor gobernadorcillo, you also----" He did not finish, but broke off laughing, and buried his spoon in the red flesh of a papaw. The curate began with some confusion: "I was responsible for the money." "Excellent reply, reverend pastor of souls!" interrupted the alferez, his mouth full. "Excellent reply, holy man!" Ibarra was on the point of interfering, but the priest recovered himself. "Do you know, senor alferez," he asked, "what is said about the disappearance of these children? No? Then ask your soldiers." "What!" cried the alferez, thus challenged, abandoning his mocking tone. "They say that on the night when they disappeared shots were heard in the pueblo." "Shots?" repeated the alferez, looking at the faces around him. There were several signs of assent. Brother Salvi went on with a sarcastic smile: "Come! I see that you do not know how to arrest criminals, that you are unaware of what your soldiers do, but that you are ready to turn yourself into a preacher and teach others their duty." "Senores," interrupted Ibarra, seeing the alferez grow pale, "I wish to know what you think of a project I've formed. I should like to give the mother into the care of a good physician. I've promised the father to try to find his children." The return of the servants without Sisa gave a new turn to the conversation. The luncheon was finished. While the tea and coffee were being served the guests separated into groups, the elders to play cards or chess, while the girls, curious to learn their destiny, posed questions to the "Wheel of Fortune." "Come, Senor Ibarra!" cried Captain Basilio, a little gayer than usual; "we've had a case in court for fifteen years and no judge is able to solve it; let's see if we cannot end it at chess."