During the previous visit of the padre, when the chapel was decided on, the order for the finishing material for the building had been placed with the merchant at Shepherd’s, and was brought up from Corpus Christi through his freighters.  We now had notice from the merchant that his teamsters had returned, and two four-mule teams went down to the ferry for the lumber, glassware, sash and doors.  Miss Jean had been importuning the padre daily to know when the dedication would take place, as she was planning to invite the countryside.

“Ah, my daughter,” replied the priest, “we must learn to cultivate patience.  All things that abide are of slow but steady growth, and my work is for eternity.  Therefore I must be an earnest servant, so that when my life’s duty ends, it can be said in truth, ’Well done, thou good and faithful servant.’  But I am as anxious to consecrate this building to the Master’s service as any one.  My good woman, if I only had a few parishioners like you, we would work wonders among these natives.”

On the return of the mule teams, the completion of the building could be determined, and the padre announced the twenty-first of February as the date of dedication.  On reaching this decision, the ranch was set in order for an occasion of more than ordinary moment.  Fidel and Juana were impatient to be married, and the master and mistress had decided that the ceremony should be performed the day after the dedication, and all the guests of the ranch should remain for the festivities.  The padre, still in command, dispatched a vaquero to the Mission, announcing the completion of the chapel, and asking for a brother priest to bring out certain vestments and assist in the dedicatory exercises.  The Indian scare was subsiding, and as no word had come from the rangers confidence grew that the worst was over, so we scattered in every direction inviting guests.  From the Booths on the Frio to the Wilsons of Ramirena, and along the home river as far as Lagarto, our friends were bidden in the name of the master and mistress of Las Palomas.

On my return from taking the invitations to the ranches north, the chapel was just receiving the finishing touches.  The cross crowning the front glistened in fresh paint, while on the interior walls shone cheap lithographs of the Madonna and Christ.  The old padre, proud and jealous as a bridegroom over his bride, directed the young friar here and there, himself standing aloof and studying with an artist’s eye every effect in color and drapery.  The only discordant note in the interior was the rough benches, in the building of which Father Norquin himself had worked, thus following, as he repeatedly admonished us, in the footsteps of his Master, the carpenter of Galilee.