San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-12-28
SuTHoR sE- Alr ISAACS.' -Sr

couldsee nothing, but knew the nuns
fastened the doors behind them whe a
they returned into the convent
Beatrice obeyed without hesitation
and led her forward, they came out
behind the high carved seats Of the
choir, behind the high altar.
Unorna took her hand and led her
forward. She could see now. and the
moment had come. She brought
Beatrice before the high altar and
made her stand in front of it. Then
she herself went back and CROPPED for
something in the dark. 1t was the
pail of small wooden steps upon
which the priest mounts in order TO
open the golden door of the high tab
ernacle above the altar, when it is
necessary to take therefrom the Sacred
host for the benedictiOn. or other con-
secrated waters for the administration
OF the communiol. To all Christians
of all denominations whatsoever the
bread water when once consecrated
is a holy thing. To > Catholics and
Lutherans there is there, substantiai-
ly, the presence of God. No imagin-
able act of SD, rilege can be more
objectionable than the dissertation of
| the tabernacle and the wilful defle-
ment and destruction OF the sacred
host.
This was Unorna's determinat; on:
Beatrice should commit this crime
| against heaven, and then die with the
whole weight OF it upon her soul, and
thus should her soul itself be tor
mented forever and ever from ages to
ages.
Beatrice, obedient to her smallest
command, and powerless to move or
| act without her suggestion, stood still
as she had been placed, with her back
to the church and her face to the altar.
| Above her head the richly wrought
| door of the tabernacle caught what
little light there was, and reflected it
from its own uneven surface.
Unorna paused a moment looked at
the shadowy figure, and then glanced
behind her into the body OF the
church, not out of any ghostly fea-,
| but to assure herself that she was
alone with her victim. She saw that
| all was quite ready, and then she
calmly knelt dow l, just upon one side
| of the gate, and rested her folded
| hands upon the marble railing. A
| moment of intense stiffness followed.
| The clock in the church tower
chimed the first quarter past one.
She was able to count the strokes, and
was glad to find that she had lost no
time. AS soon as the long. swinging
| echo of the bells had died away, she
spoke, not loudly, but clearly and dis
tinctly:
Beatrice Varanger. go forward and
mount the cps | have placed for
you"
The dark figure moved obediently
and Unorna heard the slight sound of
Beatrice's foot upon the wood. The
| STA lowy form rose higher and higher
in the gloom, and stood upon the altar
itself.
Now, do as l command you. Open
wide the door of the tabernacle"
UnOrna watched the black form in
| tently. 1t seemed to stretch out its
hand, as though searching for some
thing, and then again the arm fell to
| the side.
'Do as 1 command you, Unorna
repeated, with the agony and dOmi-
nant intonation that. always came to
her voice when she was not obeyed.
Again the hand was raised, for q
moment CROPPED in the darkness, and
sank down into the shadow.
Beatrice Varanger, you must do
my will. order you TO open the
| door of the tabernacle to take out
what is within and throw it to the
| grOundP" Her voice rang clearly
through the church. And may the
crime be on your soul forever and
ever" she added in low voice.
A third time the figure moved. A
strange flash of light played for
moment upon the tabernacle, the
effect, Unorna thought, of the golden
door being suddenly opened.
| Bat she was wronT. III e figure
moved, indeed, and stretch ed out a
| hand and moved again. Then the
sudden crash of something very heavy
| falling upon stone, broke the great
| stillness-the dark form tottered,
reeled, and fell to its length upon the
| great altar. UnOrna saw that the
| golden door was still closed, and
that Beatrice had fallen. Unable to
move or act by her own free judg-
ment and compelled by Unorna's
| determined command. she had made
| desperate effort to obey.
Unorna spang to her feet and hastily
opened the gate of the railing, In a
moment she was standing by the altar
at Beatrice's head. She could see that