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。\"
