I'll come over tonight to absolve her of her peccadillos." Seeing Aunt Isabel come from the sick-room, he said to her in Tagalog, "Prepare your niece for confession tonight.

Tomorrow I'll bring over the viaticum.

With that she'll improve faster." "But, Padre," Linares gathered up enough courage to ask faintly, "you don't think that she's in any danger of dying ?" "Don't you worry," answered the padre without looking at him.

"I know what I'm doing; I've helped take care of plenty of sick people before.

Besides, she'll decide herself whether or not she wishes to receive the holy communion and you'll see that she says yes." Capitan Tiago immediately agreed to everything, while Aunt Isabel returned to the sick girl's chamber.