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。