The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-06-09

coulusee notning, out knew the nun
fastened the doors behind them whom
they returned into the convent.
B~ctrice obeyed without hesitation
q lei her forward, they came out
bsAjnl the high carved seats Of the
0A11s behind the high altar.
uDo. IN took her hand and led her
kDr~rard. She could sAe now. and the
in3men' had come. SITE brought
Seatric' before the high altar and
hiade Ter stand in front At 4. 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 communion, TO all Christians
of all denominations whatsoever the
bread water when n 6 ~ronsecrated
is a holy thing. To Catholics and
Lutherans there is there, substantial
ly, the presence of God. No imagin-
WI aOO VI CdNIllCSb Ndu Dt LlOE0
objectionable than the Dissertation of
the tabernacle and the wilful defile-
ment and destruction OF the sacred
host.
This was Unorna's determinations:
Beatrice should commit this crime
against heaven. and then die with the
whole weight of it upon hersoul, 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 W e 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 fear,
but to assure herself that she was
alone with her victim. She saw that
all was quite ready, and then she
calmly knelt down, just upon n 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 o o as the long, swinging
echo of the bells had died away, she
spoke, not loudly, but clearly and dis
tinctly:
Beatrice Varanger, 60 forward and
mount the steps | have placed for
you"
The dark figure moved o~bediently,
and Unorna heard the slight sound of
Beatrice's foot upon the wood. The
shadowy form rose higher and higher
in the gloom, and stood upon the altar
itself.
Now, do as 1 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.
s'Do as [ command you" Unorna
repeated, with the agony and domi-
nant information that always came to
her voice when she was not obeyed.
Again the hand was raised, for a
moment CROPPED in the darkness, and
sank down into the shadow.
Beatrice Varanger, you must do
my will. I order you to open the
door of the tabernacle, to take out
what is within and throw it to the
groundt" Her voice rang clearly
through the church. And may the
crime be on your soul forever and
ever" she added in a 2w voice.
A third time the figure moved. A
strange flash of light played for a
moment upon the tabernacle, the
effect, Unorna thought, of the golden
door being suddenly opened.
But she was wrong. The 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 it's 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 a
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
the dark eyes were open now. The
great shock had recalled her con-
seriousness. go
Where am ~" she asked, in great
distress, seeing nothing in the dark
ness now, and cropping with her hands.
''Sleep-be silent and sleep!" said
Unorna in low, firm tones, pressing her
palm upon the forehead.
But, to her a~mazelpent. Beatrice
thrust her aside with such violence
that she almost al herself upon the
steps.