Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-05-03

nation that always came into her voice
! when she&was not obeyed
Again the hand was raised for moment,
| CROPPED in the darkness, and sank down
into the shadow.
! Beatrice Naranger, you must do my will.
! l order you 10 open the door OF the taber-
| nacle, to take cut what is within, and
throw il to the ground.' Her voice rang
clearly through the church. And may the
crime be on Your soul for ever and ever
| she added, in a low voice
| A thlrd tune the figure moved. \ strange
nash OF light played for moment upon the
| tabernacle, the effect, Unorna thought, of
the golden door being suddenly opened.
| But she was wrong. The figure moved,
| indeed, and stretched out hand and moved
again. Then the sudden crash of some
! thing very heavy, falling upon stone, broke
the great stillness-the dark form tottered,
reele6 and fell to its length upon the great
altar. Unorna saw that the golden door
| was still closed, and that Beatrice had
| !allen- Unable to move or act by her own
| free Judgment, and compelled by Cnorna's
determined command, she had made deS-
| perate effort to obey. Unorna had for
| gotten that there was a raised step upon
the altar itself. and that there were other
| obstacles in the way including heavy
| candiestichs and the framed canon Of the
| mass, ali of which are usually set aside be-
| TORE the tabernacle is opened by the priest
| In attempting to do as she was told, the
sleeping woman had stumbled, had over
balanced herself, had clutched one of the
| great silver candlesticks, so that it fell
heavily beside her, and then, having no
further support she had fallen herself
Unorna slrang TO her feet and hastily
| opened the gate of the railing. In mo-
ment she was standing by the altar at Bea-
trice's head. She could see that the dark
eyes We're open now. The great shock had
| recalled her to consciousness.
Where am II" she asked in great dis
tress, seeing nothing in the darkness now,
| and cropping with her hands.
'Sleep-be silent and sleep!'' said Cnorna
IN low, firm tones, pressing her palm upon
the forehead.
But, to her amazement, Beatrice thrust
her aside with such violence that she al
| most fell herself upon the steps.
'No-no!'' cried the startled woman, in q
voice Of horror. NO \ will not sleep-do
not touch me! Oh where am help!
help,n
She was not hurt. With one strong, 1.-THE
movement, she sprang TO the ground and
stood with her back to the altar, her hands
stretched out to defend her from Cnorna.
But Cnorna knew what extreme danger she
was in, if Beatrice left the church awake
and conscious of what had happened. She
seized the moving arms and tried to hold
them down, pressing her face forward so as
to look into the dark eyes she could but
family distinguish. 1t was no easy matter,
however for Beatrice was young and strong
and active. Then all at once she began to
see Cn0rna's eyes, as Unorna could see
hers, and she felt the terrible influence
stealing over her again.
''No-nO-no!' She cried, struggling
desperately. you shall not make me
sleep. l will not-I will noti"
There was a flash of light again in the
church, this time from behind the high
altar and the noise of quick footsteps. But
neither Unorna nor Beatrice noticed the
light or the sound. Then the full glow of
a strong lamp fell upon the faces of both
and dazzled them, and Unorna felt 4 cool,
thin hand upon her own. Sister Paul was
beside them, her face very white and her
faded eyes turned from the one 20 the other.
II was very simple. Soon after Compline
was over the nun had gone to Unorna's
room, had knocked and had entered. To her
surprise, Unorna was not there, but Sister
Paul imagined that she had fingered over
her prayers and would soon return. The
good nun had sat down to wait for her, and
telling her beads, had fallen asleep. The
unaccustomed warmth and comfort of the
guests room had been 100 much for the
WEAKNESS that constantly oppressed a con-
stitution broken withAscetic practices. Ac-
customed by long habit to awake at mid
night to attend the service, her eyes opened
of themselves, indeed, buta full hour later
than usual. She heard the clock strike
one, and for moment could not believe her
senses. Then she understood that she had
been asleep, and was amazed to find that