The Yale expositor., 1902-05-23

This story was suggested by the pic
turc OF Christ's hoa0. after tho legend OF
ST. Veronica. painted by Gabriel Max.
II was an oid house. and lonely.
The Thief shivered aud drew nearer
the fire. lie had never before realized
how oppressive silence could become.
Clearly his nerves were not In the
best Of order. Now he paced the noor
restlessly. his head sunken upon mis-
breast lie noticed that his shadow
followed him. huge and black; and he
sat down again I'm the chair.
II he had ever dreamed that the pos
session OF this house. and its com
forts. would have changed him from a
careless. comparatively oontented
man. TO n careworn. restless. unhappy
wretch. he told himself, he would
sooner have cut OF his right hand
than to have secured Il as he did. But
then. he thought. Il was too late now
for vain regre.tings The deed was
done. and he must suffer the conse-
quences.
His was not n strong character.
lie loved ease. his bodily comforts
and mental designations. lie had al
ways wished 10 live comfortably,
without any exertion OF his own body
or mind. But back IN his selfish soul,
hidden among the baser traits, was
"A slowly awakening conscience.
AS he sat here I'm his arm chair he
seemed 10 be struggling along n coun-
try road against a storm: thoL gh he
heard the cracking OF flames. what he
seemed TO hear was the suck and
splash OF flying hoofs; though Je look
ed at red Jrlc'' and a dying fre. he
saw. as In a dream. a rider loom out
OF the darkness: saw him lean over
and strike the horse and. as be dashed
on into the night a fiuttering white
something that fell from kis pocket
into the mud. Then the Thief saw
himself pick Il up. II was folded
document bearing n seal. he took
10 10 his little room and opened II
with trembling Hngers. IL WAS his
sisters will. There was an inner seal.
but this. like the outer one. vas not
sealed nor stamped. Wax had mere
~ been dropped on each de OF the
fold. and left To harden. When u was
necessary 60 seal Il the wax would be
relocated and the edges drawn to-
gether and stamped. she hau always
fixed her letters hat way.
BE FASTENED 90 read IL. casting his
eyes at tnce 10 the bottom. IL had
not been witnessed. hough her sigma
ture was there But as he looked rap
idly over the paper. his heart sank
again There. down az the very edge.
were two names family written. and
evidently signed in great haste. He
knew the witnesses and felt sure that
they had not read the contents.
No matter oral testimony alone
could not taac the property away
from him. Everything was left 10 her
cousins. her only other relatives.
Well. 81 was right perhaps. for there
were FIVE children. and they needed
II. and he had always been n black
sheep-he had not deserved IL. but he
got Il. nevertheless. for his heart was
black within him. and no on saw the
will but himself.
The messenger who had taken IL 10
town to see II IL had been properly
drawn up and attested. told his story.
but though the road was searched the
will was not found and the Thief. be-
ing next IN line. took the house and
property
The Thief stirred and So. up with
great sigh. His memories were over.
They had not been pleasant. His
glance idly followed his shadow upon
the foor Part Of the hearth-rug was
In deep shadow and part brought OIL,
into bold relief by bands OF yellow
light. As his eyes fastened there and
held. he saw the light move. Little
by little Il crept over the hoor. ami
ie watched It's slow advance. fascl-
mated.
His eyes moved with the ray ~
light. slowly tracing the pattern. They
halted unfamillarly on the frame 81
n picture and then passed on.
The moon had passed out fro-i be-
hind the clouds. There before him, o.