"'I have ended,' answered Father Mateo, with as calm a voice as he could command.
"'Do not forsake me, sir,' moaned the poor woman, more dead than alive.
"'Hush! Commend yourself to our Lord of the forsaken ones, and his will be done.'
"'Come,' said the men, 'be quick; we must blindfold you again.' And they tied on the bandage, locked the door, and all three descended into the street with the father in custody, for fear that he might take off the blind and know the place.
"They turned and turned again, as before, till they came to the street of San Francisco; then the rascals took to their heels, and disappeared so quickly that you would have thought they had been spirited away.
"The minute they were out of sight, Father Mateo said to the woman, 'Now, daughter, scatter dust, and find a hiding-place. No; don't thank me, but God, who has saved you; and don't stop; for when those brigands find the bird flown, they will come back and perhaps overtake me.'
"The woman ran, and the father in three strides planted himself inside of his convent.
"He went right away to the cell of the father guardian and told him all that had happened, adding that the men would surely come to the convent in search of him.
"The words were hardly out of his mouth when they heard a knocking at the door. The guardian went down and presented himself. 'Can I serve you in any thing, gentlemen?' he asked.
"'We have come,' answered one, 'for Father Mateo, who was out just now confessing a woman.'