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confidence of a simple people； he will at once reject this part of
the story。
A roll of drums； ushering in the year 1798； awoke the Commander。
The sun was shining brightly； and the storm had ceased。 He sat up
in bed； and through the force of habit rubbed his left eye。 As the
remembrance of the previous night came back to him； he jumped from
his couch and ran to the window。 There was no ship in the bay。 A
sudden thought seemed to strike him； and he rubbed both of his
eyes。 Not content with this； he consulted the metallic mirror
which hung beside his crucifix。 There was no mistake； the
Commander had a visible second eyea right oneas good； save for
the purposes of vision； as the left。
Whatever might have been the true secret of this transformation；
but one opinion prevailed at San Carlos。 It was one of those rare
miracles vouchsafed a pious Catholic community as an evidence to
the heathen； through the intercession of the blessed San Carlos
himself。 That their beloved Commander； the temporal defender of
the Faith； should be the recipient of this miraculous manifestation
was most fit and seemly。 The Commander himself was reticent； he
could not tell a falsehoodhe dared not tell the truth。 After
all； if the good folk of San Carlos believed that the powers of his
right eye were actually restored； was it wise and discreet for him
to undeceive them？ For the first time in his life the Commander
thought of policyfor the first time he quoted that text which has
been the lure of so many well…meaning but easy Christians； of being
〃all things to all men。〃 Infeliz Hermenegildo Salvatierra！
For by degrees an ominous whisper crept though the little
settlement。 The Right Eye of the Commander； although miraculous；
seemed to exercise a baleful effect upon the beholder。 No one
could look at it without winking。 It was cold； hard； relentless；
and unflinching。 More than that； it seemed to be endowed with a
dreadful presciencea faculty of seeing through and into the
inarticulate thoughts of those it looked upon。 The soldiers of the
garrison obeyed the eye rather than the voice of their commander；
and answered his glance rather than his lips in questioning。 The
servants could not evade the ever watchful but cold attention that
seemed to pursue them。 The children of the Presidio school
smirched their copybooks under the awful supervision； and poor
Paquita； the prize pupil； failed utterly in that marvelous upstroke
when her patron stood beside her。 Gradually distrust； suspicion；
self…accusation； and timidity took the place of trust； confidence；
and security throughout San Carlos。 Whenever the Right Eye of the
Commander fell； a shadow fell with it。
Nor was Salvatierra entirely free from the baleful influence of his
miraculous acquisition。 Unconscious of its effect upon others； he
only saw in their actions evidence of certain things that the
crafty Peleg had hinted on that eventful New Year's eve。 His most
trusty retainers stammered； blushed； and faltered before him。
Self…accusations； confessions of minor faults and delinquencies； or
extravagant excuses and apologies met his mildest inquiries。 The
very children that he lovedhis pet pupil； Paquitaseemed to be
conscious of some hidden sin。 The result of this constant
irritation showed itself more plainly。 For the first half…year the
Commander's voice and eye were at variance。 He was still kind；
tender； and thoughtful in speech。 Gradually； however； his voice
took upon itself the hardness of his glance and its skeptical；
impassive quality； and as the year again neared its close it was
plain that the Commander had fitted himself to the eye； and not the
eye to the Commander。
It may be surmised that these changes did not escape the watchful
solicitude of the Fathers。 Indeed； the few who were first to
ascribe the right eye of Salvatierra to miraculous origin and the
special grace of the blessed San Carlos； now talked openly of
witchcraft and the agency of Luzbel； the evil one。 It would have
fared ill with Hermenegildo Salvatierra had he been aught but
Commander or amenable to local authority。 But the reverend father；
Friar Manuel de Cortes； had no power over the political executive；
and all attempts at spiritual advice failed signally。 He retired
baffled and confused from his first interview with the Commander；
who seemed now to take a grim satisfaction in the fateful power of
his glance。 The holy Father contradicted himself； exposed the
fallacies of his own arguments； and even； it is asserted； committed
himself to several undoubted heresies。 When the Commander stood up
at mass； if the officiating priest caught that skeptical and
searching eye； the service was inevitably ruined。 Even the power
of the Holy Church seemed to be lost； and the last hold upon the
affections of the people and the good order of the settlement
departed from San Carlos。
As the long dry summer passed； the low hills that surrounded the
white walls of the Presidio grew more and more to resemble in hue
the leathern jacket of the Commander； and Nature herself seemed to
have borrowed his dry； hard glare。 The earth was cracked and
seamed with drought； a blight had fallen upon the orchards and
vineyards； and the rain； long…delayed and ardently prayed for； came
not。 The sky was as tearless as the right eye of the Commander。
Murmurs of discontent； insubordination； and plotting among the
Indians reached his ears； he only set his teeth the more firmly；
tightened the knot of his black…silk handkerchief； and looked up
his Toledo。
The last day of the year 1798 found the Commander sitting； at the
hour of evening prayers； alone in the guardroom。 He no longer
attended the services of the Holy Church； but crept away at such
times to some solitary spot； where he spent the interval in silent
meditation。 The firelight played upon the low beams and rafters；
but left the bowed figure of Salvatierra in darkness。 Sitting
thus； he felt a small hand touch his arm； and looking down； saw the
figure of Paquita； his little Indian pupil； at his knee。 〃Ah；
littlest of all；〃 said the Commander； with something of his old
tenderness； lingering over the endearing diminutives of his native
speech〃sweet one； what doest thou here？ Art thou not afraid of
him whom everyone shuns and fears？〃
〃No；〃 said the little Indian； readily； 〃not in the dark。 I hear
your voicethe old voice； I feel your touchthe old touch； but I
see not your eye； Senor Commandante。 That only I fearand that； O
senor； O my father；〃 said the child； lifting her little arms
towards his〃that I know is not thine own！〃
The Commander shuddered and turned away。 Then； recovering himself；
he kissed Paquita gravely on the forehead and bade her retire。 A
few hours later； when silence had fallen upon the Presidio； he
sought his own couch and slept peacefully。
At about the middle watch of the night a dusky figure crept through
the low embrasure of the Commander's apartment。 Other figures were
flitting through the parade ground； which the Commander might have
seen had he not slept so quietly。 The intruder stepped noiselessly
to the couch and listened to the sleeper's deep…drawn inspiration。
Something glittered in the firelight as the savage lifted his arm；
another moment and the sore perplexities of Hermenegildo
Salvatierra would have been over； when suddenly the savage started
and fell back in a paroxysm of terror。 The Commander slept
peacefully； but his right eye； widely opened； fixed and unaltered；
glared coldly on the would…be assassin。 The man fell to the earth
in a fit； and the noise awoke the sleeper。
To rise to his feet； grasp his sword； and deal blows thick and fast
upon the mutinous savages who now thronged the room was the work of
a moment。 Help opportunely arrived； and the undisciplined Indians
were speedily driven beyond the walls； but in the scuffle the
Commander received a blow upon his right eye； and； lifting his hand
to that mysterious organ； it was gone。 Never again was it found；
and never again； for bale or bliss； did it adorn the right orbit of
the Commander。
With it passed away the spell that had fallen upon San Carlos。 The
rain returned to invigorate the languid soil； harmony was restored
between priest and soldier； the green grass presently waved over
the sere hillsides； the children flocked again to the side of their
martial preceptor； a TE DEUM was sung in the Mission Church； and
pastoral content once more smiled upon the gentle valleys of San
Carlos。 And far southward crept the GENERAL COURT with its master；
Peleg Scudder； trafficking in beads and peltries with the Indians；
and offering glass eyes； wooden legs； and other Boston notions to
the chiefs。