The times., 1897-03-21

| their caress had soothed the throbbing
| pain. Guiltily his eyelids dropped. Again
| Alcaria' S voice was calling Come" and he
arose as if in response, only to be confronted
| by lurid print depicting that fearful night
on Calvary, when He, who had resisted all
| temptation, hung ON the cross in human
agony. He turned away his face, FOR in
the eyes of the bleeding Christ there was a
look Of gentle rcproach. The neck Of the
| wine bottle ratified against the rim Of the
goblet like the sound Of the castanetS "a the
padre poured another draught Of the subtle
juice. He drained the glass, and the color
flashed back To his cheeks and brow.
He walked about the little room for
time-stopped suddenly, clasped his hands,
and his lips moved as if In prayer. He
burst into laugh-a cold, involuntary
sound He took from closet another bot
tie of wine, opened it. and drank There
was no unsteadiness Of hand as he poured
it, and no sound but the gurgle of the wine.
When Padre Ramon placed the empty goblet
upon the table there was lecr upon his
face and a flash OF defiance in his eyes
He gazed straight into the face Of the
pictured Loyola, and he did not quail
Many times during that night of trial he
temptation; he spoke again now, but it was
"Alcana' and not the Virgin Mother he
addressed. He resumed his walk, but his
gait was less steady than before: once he
staggered and caught hold of chair for
support.
Il cannot give her up he cried: Al
caria, my soul, I love you. My vows are
brokenin thoughtif notin deed, and though
T ,ls ,al bo .ino
and will be thine"
The PADRES voice was high and unnat-
ural: the red wine was warming his blood
and feeding the flames OF his passion. He
moved swiftly about the room. He took
down his hat from its place on the wall
and put it on; purse was lying on the
mantel; he put it in his pocket. There was
a fierce srnise on his face as he flung open
the door, revealing the first streaks Of
dawn. He locked the door from the out
side and went to the stable. So quietly |
he placed the harness on the mules that Pc |
dro who slept in one end of the ru,le struct- |
ure, was not awakened, nor did the sound |
of the wheels disturb the aumber Of the |
sleeping boy as Padre Ramon drove away |
in the breaking light
1t was early twilight when Manuel SaIa- I
zar-Padre Ramon no more-arriyed in
Santa Fe. He left his mules in stable to be
fed and went at once to the Jesuit hos
pital He did not enter the building, but
paused irresolutely amid the shrubbcry in
the garden. The fruit trees were pink and
white with bloom, and the first flowers
were ladening the soft evening air with fra
GRANGE. About the place there seemed to
rest holy calm that repelled hma nd W eak
aned his purpose. He no longer felt the
stimulating effects of the wine, and with
he return of sober reason his conscience
ashed him like whip. He was invading
holy ground for an unholy purpose, and as
le fully realized the enormity of his Of
'ense he hcsitated and trembied.
Then the silence was broken softly, sweet
Y. as a gentle perfumed zephyr diStalbs a
lead calm. 1t was the lave Maria,' and
he voice OF the singer was as pure in tone
Is a silver bell. He could not see her. but
he knew the voice; it had been ringing in
lis ears for days, and now its liquid
weetness thrilled him and reused him
rom his iresolution. Quietly he made
lis way through the shrubbery and the
prouting vines and dimly saw her in the
usk, seated beneath an apple tree white
With blossoms. AS he Ieapt to her side,
he words of Gabriel salutation died upon
er lips, and she arose startled
"0h, brother, is it you?'' she asked
"Alcaria-''
She gasped as she recognized his voice,
nd her fair face became deathly white
he raised hand in mute appeal to him :
. stop, hut lie did not heed His voice t
-as unsteady and he spoke rapidly. he t
Did her how the old love had returned and
riven all else from his heart; how he had
.ruggled against it in remembrance Of his c
ows and how naught but loves victory s
ad saved him from being a mailman v
eaven, he said, would absolve them from t
ows SO blindly taken