They examined the body, felt of the heart, but it was no longer beating. The blow had fallen on the head and blood was oozing from the nose, ears and mouth. Some strange marks were seen on the man's neck. There were four deep dents on one side and a single but deeper one on the other. It looked as though an iron hand had grasped it like a pair of pinchers. The priests warmly congratulated the young man and shook his hand. "When I think that only a few moments ago I was standing there," said one of the employees. "Say! If I had been the last! Jesús!" "It makes my hair stand on end," said another, who was bald. Ibarra had departed, to ascertain the condition of Maria Clara. "Let this not prevent the festival from continuing," said the Alcalde. "God be praised! The dead man is neither a priest nor a Spaniard! Your escape must be celebrated! Just think--if the stone had fallen on you!" "There is such a thing as a presentiment!" said the Notary. "I said so. Señor Ibarra was reluctant to descend. I saw it!" "Let the festival go on! Give us some music! Weeping will not bring the dead man to life. Captain, serve warrants right here! Let the clerk of the tribunal come. Arrest the superintendent of the work!" "Put him in the stocks!" "Put him in the stocks! Eh? Some music, music! Put the maestrillo in the stocks." "Señor Alcalde," replied Ibarra gravely, "if weeping cannot bring the dead man back to life, neither can anything be gained by putting a man in prison when we do not know that he is culpable. I will give bail for him and ask that he be given liberty for some days at least." "Well, well! But such a misfortune must not be repeated!" All kinds of comments were circulating among the people. The theory that it was a miracle was already accepted. Father Salví, however, seemed to rejoice very little over the miracle, which the people attributed to a saint of his order and of his parish. There were some who claimed to have seen, as the crane was falling, a figure dressed in black like the Franciscans, go down in the ditch. It was without doubt San Diego himself. It was supposed, too, that Ibarra had heard mass and that the yellow man had not. It was all as clear as the light of the sun. Ibarra went home to change his clothes. "Hm! Bad beginning," said Old Tasio as he left the place. Ibarra had just finished dressing when a servant announced that a countryman was asking for him. Supposing that it was one of his laborers, the young man ordered that they show him into his study, which also served as a library and a chemical laboratory. But, to his great surprise, he met the muscular figure of the mysterious Elias. "You recently saved my life," said he in Tagalog, at once comprehending Ibarra's movement. "I have paid you only half of the debt, and you are not indebted to me; rather the contrary. I have come to ask a favor of you...."