The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-10-13
Continued from Yesterday.

1T can't bs paid for another fortnight
when my salary will come" he had said |;
and being frankly informed that he need
not have given away ali that he bad TO
Proctor. and left himself and her with
nothing but bread and water. and water
and bread for n change. until money
came In, he had answered, "Thoy will
be sweetened by the thought that we
have kept the poor fellow alive to work
for his wife and family"
She had not trusted herself to reply-she
did not hold with vexipg people who had
just risen from slck-bed. but IL had
been on the tip OF her tongue TO tell thnt
she could do very well without any suoh
sweeteninR for her food. There was no
controlling him-he might be fit for
heaven, but he was not tic for eartn.
While she, poor woman. was thus 90
cupied with "reminiscences OF bis last
years misdoing he was seated in tue
confessioal. IL was not yet tGe hour
when his presence was expected, but he
sat in the darkness. glad 20 be alone and
unseen while wrestling with horrible
fear which day by day was taking more
forcible possession OF him-a fear that
Proctor, the sacristan. WAS stealing the
money OF the church ana of the poor.
sit is simply impossiblcl' he told HIM
self. Proctor conducts himself excellentiy
in every relation Of life. )" And vet.
guided by one of The flashes OF insight
peculiar 10 persons OF n highly sensi i've
organization he had OWNED the truth
and he knew IT, II would have stakad
nv life on his honesty" he contiuuo1,
with wouldbe conviction; hut again thi,
inner sonse revealed 60 him that he had
aim always felt some doubt of the
man. lit would be such "a ludas-lise
act of treachery." he pleaded with him-
A. 49,.
not twoY Proctor could most easily do
it. for his duties bring him to the church
at all hours Proctor has recently opened
a shop, and IL is hard TO imagine where
he found the money and, worst, OF aii. be
has a a look in his face which tells me
ingratitude of IL would kill mep'
Two large tears rolled down Father
Urquhart's face. They were not what
people are pleased to call tears of weak
ness but tears of blood wrung from an
iron soul which had unluckily come into
the world in weak body. Il shall
breathe freely, " he thought after while.
'if L find that the thief is another man.
God help me. what am | saying? Why
is there TO be a thief at ally Why have l
not the heart TO sacrifice my own self
love and say that it will be relief to ne
TO discover that it is my own incompet-
ence and insufliciency that have hardened
came ..ere. were so gcnerousp Should it
be so. will leave this place at once. i"
There was a sound-it was like the
faint chink OF money and then there
was a click, and Father Urquhart had
heard that click before, and knew that il
always accomDaDied the act OF locking
the alms-box. Trembling with excite
ment, he bent forward Gna quietly raised
a corner OF the curtain which hung down
in -7ont of the confessional. A man was
just moving away from the pillar to
which the box was affixed. Even In the
semi-darkness, the priest had no difficulty
in recognizing That this man was Proc
tor, and his heart began 10 beat so vio-
lently that IL seemed impossible that IL
could be unheard by the thief
Proctor paused-stood still; then he
moved another step, and again stood still,
as If unable to 60 through with some
thing that he had intended 10 do. Had
no heard the beating Of the priest hearth
Had he seen the slight movement uf the
curtain, or had a great fesr come upon
him that he was about TO fall into the
hands of the living Godp
Proctor stood still n minute longer
made one step forwaru-hssitated-
like one who had instantly taken an i'm
portant resolution, he plunged forward,
vehementiy exclaiming, rs If to himself,
Il can't do IL! i can't do itp' and hav-
ing rung the bell OF the confessional, fell
on his knees to await the arrival OF the
priest. But the priest was there already;
so with sobs and tears Proctor began his
confteor
The sum of his confession was this.
Nine months before. being in need of
money, he had, with much difficulty,
procured n key which would serve his
purpose, and since then he hao habitually
appropriated IA part OF the oilertory-at
at first small part then nearly the
whole,
RESTITUTION must be made, said the
priest sternly.
"Yes, restitution" said Proctor, but
he had forgotten that that would be en-
forced. and was half mad with rage. Un-
willingly he rose to mis- feet and went to
the front OF the confessional. where for
one moment be paused. and then be put
his hama tehind the sheltering curtain
and flung in small bundle. when fell
Oh the priests Rnec, saying as be did
80, "Inclc! hcstltution is made! Iu
saved my body last year; you have sa'c4
my soul this !"
Having received apsolution. slowly
and humhly. and with head beat down in
s--------