Year: 1869

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She flashed out upon him with such
sudden scorn, such fiery anger, such
dauntless defiance, that his admiration
overpowered his shame, and the passion
that possessed him only increased at
every obstacle. Throwing himself at
her feet, he cried, impetuously:


DOLORES, hear me, and be pitiful For
years I have loved you, seen you grow
in beauty, read your innocent heart, con-
soled your girlish troubles, been your
confdant, counsellor and friend. All
did you never guess why found it hard
to call you daughter why I was al
ways first at confessional, hungering for
the sound of your sweet voice, or what
a temptation it was to kiss the curtain
that hung between our lips? ] tell you
| can suffer no torment worse than l
have known, feel no despair greater
than that you brought me when you told
your lcve,or pass through forcer strug-
gle than that of these two days. Be
kind to me, or I shall turn desperate;
for the fire Of years is pent up here, and
will break out in spite of prayers and
penances. l gave up my youth to heav-
en- to obey my fathers will; let me taste
little happiness before die, for life
and love are not crushed out of me by
years of austerity and self DEVOTION
Oh, my child! the one sweet and tender
emotion Of my solitary soul is this love
for you. Listen to it, and keep me
from utter desperation"


He clung to her as if she was his only
hope, and pleaded with the eloquence of
despair; but she could not pardon the
treachery that robbed her of her lover,
and leaving her mantle in his grasp, she
sprang to the door, calling for help with
a frantic cry that echoed through the
cell.


No one replied; but laundering peal
of music rolled from the great organ,
and priestly chorus took up the chant,
telling that the sacred rites had begun
Both listened ; the man still on his knees,
with hidden face and nerveless limbs
the girl clinging to the door, with head
thrown back, eyes fixed on the clucifx
before her, and lips murmuring her low
er's name, as if though all her fear she
thought first of him.


Meantime, the church, the steps, the
plaza without, and every avenue, was
packed with q hushed and knceling
throng. Threee thousand women rus
tied and g.ittered like bed of flowers,
in the brilliant light of myriad lamps,
that studded the roof like stars, and
shone from every point where they could
be hung. The grand altar was blaze
of light, festoons of colored lanterns
glowed like transparent globes of fire
from dome and cornice. every picture
was framed in twinkling sparks, every
statue was crowned with fire. and ra-
dance of MONDAY filled the vast cathe-
dral


AS the organ rolled in pillows of ma
Ijestic music over the heads of the pros
trate throng, and the chant arose like
the voices of unseen spirits soaring up
ward jubilantly, a sudden cry broke
from one of the attendants who we're
noisclessly completing the long task of
Illuminating the vast building Few
heard it, few guessed the awful doom
impending over them, or saw the little
spark that fell from the lighters torch
upon a decoration of artificial flowers
chat hung high over head.


In a'moment, like swift demon of
destruction, the fire darted along the
carved beams, already heated to the
dryness of tinder the whole length of
the church, setting the immense cupola
in blaze. The clouds of gauze turned
to clouds of flame, the lamps suspended
from the roof dropped and exploded
among the dense mass of women kneel-
ing below, and in five minutes the. gor-
geous church was sea of fire. An aw-
full scene, for the light draperies Of the
woman caught at once, spread from one
to another, and there was no escape, so
closely were they packed.


Vainly the poor creatures shrieked for
help and strove to fly; the few men
among them were powerless to save,
and every doorway was choked up by a
panic-stricken throng, fighting madly to
reach the air A Hercules would have
struggled vainly to eXtrieate q creature
from the frantic mass who piled one
above another as they clincbed to fasten
with the grippe Of death upon those near
est for help.


| Outside, men fought to get in, hoping
to save the women whom they loved,
but were doomed to stand helpless, and
see mothers, wives and children die the
death that appals the stoutest heart,
within yard of salvation, for the en-
frances were closed by heaps of burn
ing bodies, and the fire, imprisoned by
the immense thickness of the walls,
consumed everything with Unsuitable
rapidity


OF the heart-rending scenes of that
terrible night there is no record, except
one preserved in the memory Of priest
housing in the sacristy to save the sa-
cred relies treasured there before he fed.
From a cell near by, woman's voice,
shrill with terror, cried aloud:


"Phillippe, Philippe! help me! save
me!" and Il mans voice, clear as q
trumpet, rang back through the din:


"Dolores, am coming"


In the act of thrusting chalice, cruel
| fix, and missal into his robe, the old
priest paused to watch a young man
dash down the passage with flying hair,
: scorched garments, and a. face full OF
wrath and courage, like that seen in the
: face of the beautiful st. Michael on the
wall before him. AS he passed, door
was flung open, and Ugarte sprang out,
carrying a young girl, who lay in his
arms senseless with terror and exhaus-
ton.


For moment the two men glared al
) one another, looking awfully unhuman
in the lurid light behind them,
Judas, give her up to me!' cried
\ Arguellies, advancing upon the priest
with the look of lion robbed Of his
i, mate.


l Never" returned Ugarte, in tone
, of stern exultation. My sinful dream
i has terrible awakening; but the warn
ing shall avail for both. ! cannot pos