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〃Whereas； it being presented to an Emergency Council； held at the
Presidio of Todos Santos； that the foreign barque Excelsior had
mutinied； discharged her captain and passengers； and escaped from
the waters of the bay； it was； on examination； found and decreed
that the said barque was a vessel primarily owned by a foreign
Power； then and there confessed and admitted to be at war with
Mexico and equipped to invade one of her northern provinces。 But
that the God of Liberty and Justice awakening in the breasts of
certain patriotsto wit； the heroic Senor Diego Hurlstone and the
invincible Dona Leonorthe courage and discretion to resist the
tyranny and injustice of their oppressors； caused them to mutiny
and abandon the vessel rather than become accomplices； in the
company of certain neutral and non…combatant traders and artisans；
severally known as Brace； Banks； Winslow； and Crosby； and certain
aristocrats； known as Senoras Brimmer and Chubb。 In consideration
thereof； it is decreed by the Council of Todos Santos that asylum；
refuge； hospitality； protection； amity； and alliance be offered and
extended to the patriots； Senor Diego Hurlstone； Dona Leonor； and a
certain Duenna Susana Markham； particularly attached to Dona
Leonor's person； and that war； reprisal； banishment； and death be
declared against Senor Perkins； his unknown aiders and abettors。
And that for the purposes of probation； and in the interests of
clemency； provisional parole shall be extended to the alleged
neutralsBrace； Banks； Crosby； and Winslowwithin the limits and
boundaries of the lazaretto of San Antonio； until their neutrality
shall be established； and pending the further pleasure of the
Council。 And it is further decreed and declared that one Capitano
Bunker； formerly of the Excelsior； but now a maniac and lunatic
being irresponsible and visited of God； shall be exempted from the
ordinances of this decree until his reason shall be restored； and
during that interval subjected to the ordinary remedial and
beneficent restraint of civilization and humanity。 By order of the
Council；
〃The signatures and rubrics of
〃DON MIGUEL BRIONES；
Comandante。
〃PADRE ESTEBAN；
of the Order of San Francisco d'Assisis。
〃DON RAMON RAMIREZ；
Alcalde of the Pueblo of Todos Santos。〃
CHAPTER XI。
THE CAPTAIN FOLLOWS HIS SHIP。
When Padre Esteban had finished reading the document he laid it
down and fixed his eyes on the young man。 Hurlstone met his look
with a glance of impatient disdain。
〃What have you to say to this？〃 asked the ecclesiastic； a little
impressed by his manner。
〃That as far as it concerns myself it is a farrago of absurdity。
If I were the person described there； why should I have sought you
with what you call a lie of 'sentimental passion；' when I could
have claimed protection openly with my SISTER PATRIOT；〃 he added；
with a bitter laugh。
〃Because you did not know THEN the sympathy of the people nor the
decision of the Council；〃 said the priest。
〃But I know it NOW； and I refuse to accept it。〃
〃You refusetoto accept it？〃 echoed the priest。
〃I do。〃 He walked towards the door。 〃Before I go； let me thank
you for the few hours' rest and security that you have given to one
who may be a cursed man； yet is no impostor。 But I do not blame
you for doubting one who talks like a desperate man； yet lacks the
courage of desperation。 Good…by！〃
〃Where are you going？〃
〃What matters？ There is a safer protection and security to be
found than even that offered by the Council of Todos Santos。〃
His eyes were averted； but not before the priest had seen them
glaze again with the same gloomy absorption that had horrified him
in the church the evening before。 Father Esteban stepped forward
and placed his soft hand on Hurlstone's shoulder。
〃Look at me。 Don't turn your face aside； but hear me； for I
believe your story。〃
Without raising his eyes； the young man lifted Father Esteban's
hand from his shoulder； pressed it lightly； and put it quietly
aside。
〃I thank you；〃 he said； 〃for keeping at least that unstained memory
of me。 But it matters little now。 Good…by！〃
He had his hand upon the door； but the priest again withheld him。
〃When I tell you I believe your story； it is only to tell you more。
I believe that God has directed your wayward； wandering feet here
to His house； that you may lay down the burden of your weak and
suffering manhood before His altar； and become once more a child of
His。 I stand here to offer you； not a refuge of a day or a night；
but for all time； not a hiding…place from man or woman； but from
yourself； my sonyourself； your weak and mortal self； more fatal
to you than all。 I stand here to open for you not only the door of
this humble cell； but that of His yonder blessed mansion。 You
shall share my life with me； you shall be one of my disciples； you
shall help me strive for other souls as I have striven for yours；
the protection of the Church； which is all…powerful； shall be
around you if you wish to be known； you shall hide yourself in its
mysteries if you wish to be forgotten。 You shall be my child； my
companion； my friend； all that my age can give you shall be yours
while I live； and it shall be your place one day to take up my
unfinished work when it falls from these palsied hands forever。〃
〃You are mistaken；〃 said the young man coldly。 〃I came to you for
human aid； and thank you for what you have granted me： I have not
been presumptuous enough to ask more； nor to believe myself a
fitting subject for conversion。 I am weak； but not weak enough to
take advantage of the mistaken kindness of either the temporal
Council of Todos Santos or its spiritual head。〃 He opened the door
leading into the garden。 〃Forget and forgive me； Father Esteban；
and let me say farewell。〃
〃Stop！〃 said the ecclesiastic； raising himself to his full height
and stepping before Hurlstone。 〃Then if you will not hear me in
the name of your Father who lives； in the name of your father who
is dead I command you to stay！ I stand here to…day in the place of
that man I never knewto hold back his son from madness and crime。
Think of me as of him whom you loved； and grant to an old man who
might have had a son as old as you the right of throwing a father's
protecting arm around you。〃
There was a moment's silence。
〃What do you want me to do？〃 said Hurlstone； suddenly lifting his
now moist and glistening eyes upon the old man。
〃Give me your word of honor that for twenty…four hours you will
remain as you arepledging yourself to nothingonly promising to
commit no act； take no step； without consulting me。 You will not
be sought here； nor yet need you keep yourself a prisoner in these
gloomy wallsexcept that； by exposing yourself to the people now；
you might be compromised to some course that you are not ready to
take。〃
〃I promise；〃 said Hurlstone。
He turned and held out both his hands； but Father Esteban
anticipated him with a paternal gesture of uplifted and opened
arms； and for an instant the young man's forehead was bowed on the
priest's shoulder。
Father Esteban gently raised the young man's head。
〃You will take a pasear in the garden until the Angelus rings； my
son； while the air is sweet and wholesome； and think this over。
Remember that you may accept the hospitality of the Council without
sin of deception。 You were not in sympathy with either the captors
of the Excelsior or their defeated party； for you would have flown
from both。 You； of all your party now in Todos Santos； are most in
sympathy with us。 You have no cause to love your own people； you
have abandoned them for us。 Go； my son； and meditate upon my
words。 I will fetch you from yonder slope in time for the evening
refection。〃
Hurlstone bowed his head and turned his irresolute feet towards the
upper extremity of the garden； indicated by the priest； which
seemed to offer more seclusion and security than the avenue of
pear…trees。 He was dazed and benumbed。 The old dogged impulses of
self…destructionrevived by the priest's reproaches； but checked
by the vision of his dead and forgotten father； which the priest's
words had called upgave way； in turn； to his former despair。
With it came a craving for peace and rest so insidious that in some
vague fear of yielding to it he quickened his pace； as if to
increase his distance from the church and its apostle。 He was
almost out of breath when he reached the summit； and turned to look
back upon the Mission buildings and the straggling street of the
pueblo； which now for the first time he saw skirted the wall of the
garden in its descent towards the sea。 He had not known the full
extent of Todos Santos before； when he swam ashore he had landed
under a crumbling outwork of the fort； he gazed now wi