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Father Donahue was silhouetted in front of the glowing canvas, sitting on a stool behind a s table, on which were arrayed a few sheets of paper, an inkstand, and a quill They ht as well have been thu froht attitude, evocative of expectantof flint and tinderbox caht This swelled, and a black boy--Mr Lillywhite’s servant, I supposed--came forward and silently set a sot a clear look at the priest, the irew more pronounced He looked like Saint Stephen after the first volley of stones, with a bruise on his chin and a first-rate black eye, ee to cheekbone and swollen quite shut

The nonblackened eye widened at sight of me, and he started up with an exclaripped hi broadly for the benefit of whatever audience ht your led the with the deception He stared at me in fascination for a hed, then, encouraged by ain, with more enthusiasm

"It’svery kind of ye tothink of me, Mrs Fraser," he wheezed, between hacks

I pulled off the top of the flask, and poured out a generous ht, Father?" I asked, low-voiced, as I leaned across to hand it to hi, Mrs Fraser dear, not at all," he assuredout under the stress of the occasion "’Twas only that I made the mistake of resistin’ when the Sheriff arrested me Not but what in the shock of it all, I didn’t do a se to the poor ive ed eye upward in a pious expression--quite spoiled by the unregenerate grin underneath

Father Kenneth was no ht, and looked older than his years by virtue of the hard wear i seasons spent in the saddle Still, he was no h as whipcord under his worn black coat and frayed linen I began to understand the Sheriff’s belligerence

"Besides," he added, touching his black eye gingerly, "Mr Lillywhite did tender y for the hurt" He nodded toward the table, and I saw that an opened bottle of wine and a pewter cup stood a materials--the cup still full, and the level of wine in the bottle not down by much

The priest picked up the whisky I had poured and drained it, closing his eyes in dreamy benediction

"And a finertheht walk on water h, this one a delicate hack, fist held over his lance toward the door

"Oh, not a thing," he said, taking his hand away "Only that I did not think it quite right to accept the istrate’s refreshments, under the circuain, but this tirin

"Why have they arrested you?" I asked, ain at the tent’s door, but it was eht the ht; they weren’t suspicious ofhis voice to h I’ve not said Mass since last Sunday, and that was in Virginia" He was looking wistfully at the flask I picked it up and poured another generous tot

I frowned a bit, thinking, while he drank it, more slowly this time Whatever were Mr Lillywhite and co the priest to trial on the charge of saying Mass It would be no great matter to find false witnesses to say he had, of course--but ould be the point of it?

While Catholicism was certainly not popular in North Carolina, I could see no great purpose in the arrest of a priest ould be leaving in thein any case Father Kenneth came from Balti only as a favor to Jocasta Cameron

"Oh!" I said, and Father Kenneth looked at ht," I said, gesturing to him to continue "Do you happen to knohether Mr Lillywhite is personally acquainted with Mrs Cameron?" Jocasta Ca character, therefore not without eneo out of his way to disoblige her in such a peculiar fashion, even so, but

"I a behind h alas, I can claim no inti just within the tent’s entrance, followed by Sheriff Anstruther and Mr Goodith Ja up the rear The latter flicked an eyebrow at me, but otherwise maintained an expression of sole to your husband, ard for Mrs Caularize Mr Donahue’s position, so as to allow his continued presence in the colony" Mr Lillywhite nodded coldly at the priest "However, I aestion was sumhtened up, his working eye bright in the lan an oath, sir," he said to Jaesture at the paper and quill on the table before him "To the effect that I do not subscribe to a belief in transubstantiation"

"Do they, indeed" Jamie’s voice betrayed no more than polite interest, but I understood at once what the priest hadconscience

"Well, he can’t do that, can he?" I said, looking round the circle of men "Catholics--Iat Mr Goodwin--"do believe in transubstantiation Don’t we?" I asked, turning to the priest, who shtly in response, and nodded

Mr Goodwin looked unhappy, but resigned, his alcoholic joviality substantially reduced by the social aardness

"I’m sorry, Mrs Fraser, but that is the law The only circu to the established Churchof such an oath Many do sign it You know the Reverend Urned the oath, as has Mr Calvert, the New LightRepressing an urge to stamp on his foot, I turned to Mr Lillywhite