Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13


early youth begin TO tell on mans con-
stitution. The pure and simple life in the
desert had given him new lease Of
lie and strength. But il had only been
gwen TO him for a time. He was now
reaping the harvest he had sown and
neither repentance. nor piety. nor relig-
lous fervor We're OF any avail against the
natural and memorable law. He recalled
the words he had used: Il will not con
sider myself absolved from my oath till
he is dead
And again: May the dead rise up
against me and destroy me If | do not
keep my oath.
The dead had risen up against him and
destroyed his work-dead sins women
who had died out OF his life
But though his work was destroyed he
was still alive. There was even life Of
domestic peace and happiness before him
for he knew that Lady Betty loved him
so well that she would marry him in
spite of all that had occurred 4 years
rest would make another man OF him.
Perhaps he had not many wears to live
but they could be lived in quiet and com
parative luxury: they would he bright
ened by the love of a good woman: they
might even be of value to the world He
could help Lady Betty in her work-that
quiet. practical work. which was so much
more lasting than the wild fury of relig-
ious enthusiasm. But his oath would not
be fulfilled. He would not be absolved
from il Til he was dead.
east and slowly changed to a bar OF gold
The mountains stood out against tia
dark line of smooth curves and rugged
peaks. Overhead the stars vanished in
the coming of the dawn.
Father Francis rolled over on his side
and looked at the scene. which was
gradually emerging from the shadows in
the valleys beneath-at the gray crags. at
the long slopes of smooth grass. at the
woods still lower down. at the white
fdrmhOuSeS the Of the lVn
with its fringes of sand and marshland.
1t WAS all dim and indefinite but fraught
with the promise of gorgeous beauty.
Then the sun raised itself from behind
the yellow clouds which hung over Noel
Ffefr. and the light of II blazed forth
on Aran Cawddy. The gray rock was
tinged with gold. and the drops of dew
on the lichen and scanty heritage glittered
dixie diamonds
Father Francis raised himself on one
elbow and drank in the scene, as though
the sight of it gave hope of a new life.
Then he lay back on the rock and closed
his eyes. and the sun rose higher and
higher in the heavens. till the moisture
dried on the blades of grass and the
stone felt warm to the touch of the mans
outstretched hand
He was too weak to return by the pre-
cipitOuS and dangerous path which led TO
the summit of the mountain. The place
was hardly ever visited by tourists. for
1t lay far away from the recognized
haunts of these gregariouS folk. No shep-
herd had occasion to scale the barren
cragS in search of his lost sheep, for no
animal would ever have strayed there in
search of food. The place was nothing
but naked spur of rock that had thrust
itself out of the green slopes beneath it.
A man might lie there for many weeks
and no one would find him unless they
came in search of him.
And Father Francis knew that no one
would seek him out on that lonely height
at Aberllyn. The man. old and weary.
had been unable to walk any farther and
had sought shelter in the workhouse.
There was no one left to care If tAe dis
credited preacher lived or died. Lady
Betty would care but she did not even
know that he was in Wales.
1t would be easy enough to die
Aran Cawddy without the violent act OF
suicide. He had only to lie there and
wait till death released him from his
agony.
Yet it would be easy enough to live if
he wished to do so. Close to his hand
lay the tall staff, which he always car
ried with him on his journeys. He could
fasten piece of white clothing to the
end of it and wedge the other end firmly
in crevice of the rock by his side. The
signal would be seen for miles and would
probably be answered within an hour.
Less than five hundred feet below him
one of the mountain shepherds passed
daily with his dog.
Father Francis did not open his eyes as
the sunlight streamed down upon his
face. Life lay within his grasp, but he
did not move to take it. For a while he
had pleasant visions of the future, of do
nestle happiness. OF quietude and rest
and the love of a good woman. But he
thrust the visions from his mind. There
would be rest for him on the summit of
the mountain ere many days had passed.
And what right had he to live? His life
had been forfeit for many years. So long
As he could do good in the world II was
perhaps allowable for him to put off the
day of his death. But he was of no more
for the work he had set himself TO
do. Both brain and body were giving
way. He was faced with the prospect Of
insanity He had broken the laws of ma
ture. which are the laws of God, and it
only remained to suffer the punishment.
And yet he desired to live. for life still
held something for him. and the instinct
of self-preservation is common to all liv-
ing creatures.
The sun crept up to its highest point
in the heavens and began to move down
toward the west. And Father Francis
still lay with closed eyes. waiting for the
Judgment of God He had resolved 10
leave himself in the hands of the maker
of the laws. He would do nothing 10
save his own life, but God would save it
if He wished it TO serve any good purpose
in the world Some shepherd, some stray
tourist. would be sent to that lonely
come there to look for him.
If no one came he would understand
that ii was right and proper for him TO
die And he would have kept the oath
that he had sworn to George era wshay.
All through the day he never opened
his eyes lest the beauty of the world
might tempt him to falter in his firm re-
solve. But he lay there with parched
lips and aching limbs, praying that God
might save his life.
There was complete silence on that
rocky spur of the mountain-a silence
that was only broken by the feeble moan
that every now and then came from the
lips of the man who suffered and waited
for the Judgment
The sun sank down into the sea, and
the western sky. fecked with fleecy
clouds, was a gorgeous vista of crimson
and rose color and gold. 1t was a par
ticuary glorious sunset, due perhaps to
volcanic eruption more than thousand
miles away But Father Francis saw
none of its glories; his eyes were closed:
his mind was far away in the past and
his lips moved in prayer.
And then came the darkness, and the
man opened his eyes and looked at the
sky. 1t covered with clouds and
there was not a star to be seen. The
moon had not yet risen from behind the
mountains.
His suffering was intense, but he bore
it with superb herosm. Fifty yards from
him there was a precipice, sheer fall OF
six hundred feet The ground sloped to
the edge of 1t. 1t would perhaps be pos
sible to roll toward it and end his pain.
But he conquered the desire to anticipate
the Judgment of God. The maker of the
laws should decide whether he was to