The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-06-15
A MYSTERIOUS PENITENT.
The Story of a Criminals Night in
Mexico's Cathedral

When Gregorio wrenched himself
loose from the hands of the sleepy
gendarme he started on a run for his
life, nor did he stop until he came
against an iron barrier which proved
to be one of the gates leading into the
courtyard of the cathedral 1t was ur-
locked The violence with which he
came against it caused II to ny open,
stretching him on the stone pavement
inside. "A Diosi" he muttered, but
the saints are with me tonight"
When he had made the gate secure
with a bit of wire which was hanging
from the lock, ne hurried into the
shadow of the doorway. Here he meant
to stay until it was light enough -
find his way outside the city. The clock
struck two. He noticed a tiny light
shining through a chink in the door;
pushing it gently open he entered the
church
Another time he might have been
surprised, but he was too excited now
to think that the open door and IN
bolted gate was anything unusual
Stealthily he followed the light
WAS someone robbing the house Of
God2" Gregorio felt for his knife. The
blood of the man whom he had stab
/ bed was still on IL. His war was on
/ his enemies, not on the saints Nearer
and nearer came that strange light.
/ Stepping behind a stone pillar he saw
/ a woman slowly making the stations
4 of the cross" Kneeling before one OF
l the pictures she bowed her head and
prayed aloud. Gregorio had never
heard a prayer like that For the first
/ time in his life he felt afraid. From
I station to station ne followed the
4 penitent. fascinated by the fervor Of
her devotions.
What terrible sin has she COM
/ mitted2' he asked himself.
It never occurred to Gregorio that
when he ran his knife into Antonio
/ and left him to die in a lonely spot he
had been guilty of a wicked deed
Before the last station was reached
! il began to dawn upon his dull con-
science that he too might have need
..senorita.' he said. softly. what
have you done that you should pray
like this?"
Slowly the woman turned her blaz-
ing eyes upon him.
Greeorfo shuddered and raised his
] hands to shut out the sight. The bloody
/ knife which he held under his blanket
fell at his feet
"Ah," said the woman. with a long
sigh of relief, lis II possible that am
to find peace at last2"
/ Turning to GregoriO and pointing TO
the knife she continued: BY that L
know you have committed some dark
crime. Tell me what IT is
To obey a woman was new exper-
Hence for Gregerio Tremblingly he an
swered: Il stabbed a man to death
Wait till I tell you what ne did. One
year ago, while he was drunk,h he beat his
sick wife until he killed her She was
my sister. When 1 heard IT. never
rested until / hunted him down. But
he was quicker than l. and his knife
was plunged to my breast. For three
months / was in the hospital. The doc
tors said I must die. The police did
what they could to have rne tell the
name of the man who had stabbed me.
| Why2 That Antonio might be guarded
| against me in case I did not die You
know. SenoTita," he added proudly We
] do not often tell who IT is T. k1ifes
US. II Antonio is still ali Ie has
not said it is I. Gregorio Gcllez. VINO
stabbed him; no. not he, for if he lives
he will watch and wait his time 70
strike me down again."
Listen said the woman. who seemed
to be slowly fading into a shadow
Years ago 7 too committed a murder
/, ! the murder OF myself From the tower Oh
this church I jumped It took only q
moment. but in that snort time 1 was
sorry and brcathed a prayer for mercy
e For this my punis hment was iessened
Every year when the night Of my aWfu
( deed comes round. must come here q
make the stations of the cross Fol
more than p years / have prayed and
= waited for some guilty and repentant SOU
, to take my place.
Dawn was breaking when Gregorio
shaking as IL with an ague. begged to b.
admitted to the hospital TO see Antonio.
/ But when the latter had turned his eve
/ upon GregoriO he muttered. NO thi
is not the man" Even the policeman
= / swore that the man he had tried to arres
| was short and stout. while this one wal
q quite tall II was all in vain that Gre
. | knowest that am he that sought to xii
thee: forgive me and let me suffer 10
my crime.
a Three days later both Antonio and Gre
| goriO died. the one from the wounds an
q the other from night of exposure
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