The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-04-08
CHAPTER IX.-Continued.

Ascending TO the image chamber.
my hand trembled so that / couldn't
hold the light steady; and this err
ratio illumination gave the figures
CHASTITY appearance of life. ! was
hastily crossing toward the narrow
entrance which led to the cloisters.
when the murmur of n voice In the
chancel on the other side of the wall
made me shut Oft the current In my
lamp and gasp for breath. In an In
slant | was in darkness so thick
could feel it, though very faint re.
Election from the waning moon made
a sort of grayness up where the win
dows were; but, looking toward the
chancel wall, / noticed faint lnmi-
nousness in one particular spot, and
Il was from this quarter that the
voice seemed TO come.
IT took but a moment 10 figure out
that this spot must be approximately
an tho rear of the crucihX head over
the altar. There was pile % boxes
just under it, on my side, SO cautious
ly climbed to where / could look
through. Then my nervousness left
me. For on his knees before the altar
was lay brother Felipe, pattering out
prayers for the repose Of the good
dead fathers below. IL afterward came
out that he had been asleep in his cell,
and. awaking suddenly. had heard
footsteps and echoes in the catacomb
which fairly curdled his blood; SO,
by the light OF the only candle he
could find, he was doing his best TO lay
the restless spirits.
How recklessness got the upper
hand Of me would be hard 10 say; but,
without giving the danger second
.hought, ! lifted my lantern 10 the
aperture and turned on tho current.
j would have given large sum 10 have
seen the effect from the church side;
1t must have been more than startling.
j could tell the exact instant when the
lay brother raised his eyes TO the top
of the crucifx' by the way his muir
muring stopped short. There was a
gasp of establishment too great for
.ouder articulation, a SILVER Of ecstat-
ic fear; and when ] squinted through
the hole, after shutting off the cur
rent, he was groyeling. face down,
upon the chancel floor
This was my opportunity. Calculat-
ing that he wouldn't dare raise his
yves for several moments, no matter
what strange noises echoed through
the church, ! slipped around through
the postern and succeeded in restor-
ing 10 Padre Bartolomeo's snoring
<orso his bunch Of keys without being
seen. Once back in my room, locked
the door and put chair against IL;
for was considerably shaken up, and
looked as though had spent week
An the internal regions.
Breakfast was fortunately late, so
/ had time 10 battle and make myself
a little more presentable, but | must
have looked secdy even then. This.
however, was naturally laid to the
dinner party Of the previous evening,
none of the gentlemen feeling very
positive as TO when or just how he had
parted from the others. | thought
that when the padres got thoroughly
walked up and had time TO get the lay
brothers experience through their
heads there was likely 10 be more Of
a sensation than the little town had
known in many moons; so, complain
ing OF a severe headache. invited the
colonel and his daughter 10 sail with
me IN the new proa. Having 10 hear
few cases at the tribunal that morn
ing, he politely declined but assured
me that Dorotea would be pleased
10 go.
This was better than had bargained
for. knowing the strict ideas in re-
gard TO chaperonage which regulate
Spanish society, IL never occurred 10
me that such tete-a-tete would be
permitted; but ] found that Guajan,
like n steamer at sea, was more or less
outside of social restrictions, law
unto itself.
The senorita seemed TO have perfect
confidence in my seamanship and was
evidently glad OF such an opportunity
20 ask questions. As we skinned
along the blue water satisfied her
curiosity regarding American women
and gave radical opinions on men of
various nationalities - chief amoag
which was a caution against believing
what any man said To- her unless she
knew him very well. because they were
not all truthful and honorable like my
seli. | wonder how many men have
solemnly worked this gray-Dearded
old warning ON girls whose society
theJ seihshly wished TO nonopolise.