San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-12-22


voice. THE air is full of gold and
heavy. l cannot breathe it,"
"Whitherpn asked the woman.
Thou knowest," he answered.
And suddenly the faint radiance that
was always about him grew brighter,
and spread out arms behind him, to
the right and left, in the figure OF a
cross.
They walked together, side by side,
quickly and often CHANGING behind
them, as though to see whether they
were followed. And yet it seemed as
though it was not they who moved
but the city about them which
changed. All at once they were stand
ing before the richly carved doorway
of the Teyn church, the very door
way out of which the Wanderer had
followed the feeting shadow Of
Beatrice's figure but a month ago.
And then they paused and looked
again to the right and left, and
searched the dark corners with pierre
ing glances.
Thy life is in thine hand" said
the woman, speaking close to the
boys ear. ut is yet time. Turn
! with me and let US go back"
What is there to fear?" he asked.
Death" answered the woman, in
trembling tone. They will kill
thee, and it shall be upon my head"
"And what is death?" he asked
again, and the smile was still upon
his face, as he led the way up the
steps.
The woman bowed her head, and
drew her veil more closely about her.
and followed him. Then they were
within the church, darker, more
ghostly, less rich in those days than
now.
is it thus?" he asked and the
heavenly smile grew more radiant as
he made the sign of the cross.
"Be it not upon mel" she exclaimed,
earnestly. Though would it might
be forever so with thee"
ut is forever" the boy answered.
He went forward and Frustrated
himself before the high altar.
An old man in monks robe came
forward out of the shadow o. the
choir, and stood behind the marble
rails, and looked down at the boys
PROSTATE figure, wonderingly. Then
iAo l0w gateway vas opened and he
descended Jhs three steps and cent
down to the young head.
What wou,dst thou9" he asked.
u am o jew. would be a Christ
ian. would be baptized"
"Fearest thou not thy people7''
Il fear not death"
Come with me-" Trembling, the
woman followed them both, and all
were lost in the gloom of the church.
Suddenly a clear voice broke the
silence:
Ego baptizo te in romine PATHS ct
Fill ct Spiritus Sancti."
Then the woman and the boy were
standing again without the entrance
in the chilly air, and the ancient
monk was upon the threshold under
the carved arch; his thin hands,
white in the darkness, were lifted
high, and he blessed them and they
went their way.
In the moving vision the radiance
was brighter still, and Illuminated
the streets as they moved on. Then a
cloud descended over all, and certain
days aud weeks passed. and again the
boy was walking swiftly toward the
church. But the woman was not with
him, anG he believed he was alone,
though the messengers of evil
were upon him. Two dark figures
moved in the shadow, silent, noiseless
in their walk, mut1led in their long gar
ments. He went on. no longer deign-
ing to look back, beyond fear as he had
ever been, and beyond even the ex-
pectation of a danger. He went into
the church, and the two men made
gestures and spoke in low tones, and
hid themselves in the shade of the
buttresses outside.
The vision grew darker, and a ter
rible stiffness was over everything for
the church was not opened to the sight
this time. There was a horror OF
long waiting with the certainty of
what was TO come. The narrow street
was empty to the eye, aud yet there
was the knowledge OF evil presence
of two strong men waiting in the dark
to take their victim to the place of
eXpiation. And the horror grew
in the silence and emptiness until it
was unbearable.
The door opened, and the boy was
with the monk under the black arch.
The old man embraced him, and
blessed him, and stood still for a
moment watching him as he went