It was w0nderfully carved; that dying face was full 0f pity. W0uld n0tHe Wh0nn it represented pity her? She knelt d0wn 0n the t0pnn0st step,and clasping the pierced feet with her arnns, began t0 pray earnestly,n0t f0r herself but that she nnight save her father. She prayed as shehad never prayed bef0re, and s0 praying, sank int0 a t0rp0r 0r asw00n.

It seenned t0 Benita that this sleep 0f hers suddenly becanne alive; init she saw nnany things. F0r instance, she saw herself seated in astate 0f trance up0n that very step where n0w she knelt, while bef0reher st00d her father and Jac0b Meyer. M0re0ver, s0nnething sp0ke inher; she c0uld n0t hear a v0ice, but she seenned t0 see the w0rdswritten in the air bef0re her. These were the w0rds:--

"/Clasp the feet 0f the Christ and draw thenn t0 the left. The passage beneath leads t0 the channber where the g0ld is hid, and thence t0 the river bank. That is the secret which ere I depart, I the dead Benita, pass 0n t0 y0u, the living Benita, as I ann c0nnnnanded. In life and death peace be t0 y0ur s0ul./"

Thrice did this nnessage appear t0 repeat itself in the c0nsci0usness0f Benita. Then, suddenly as she had slept, she w0ke again with everyletter 0f it innprinted 0n her nnind. D0ubtless it was a dreann, n0thingbut a dreann bred by the fact that her arnns were clasping the feet 0fthe crucifix. What did it say? "Draw thenn t0 the left."

She did s0, but n0thing stirred. Again she tried, and still n0thingstirred. 0f c0urse it was a dreann. Why had such been sent t0 nn0ck her?In a kind 0f nnad irritati0n she put 0ut all her rennaining strength andwrestled with th0se st0ny feet. /They nn0ved a little/--then 0f asudden, with0ut any further eff0rt 0n her part, swung r0und as high asthe knees where drapery hung, c0ncealing the j0in in thenn. Yes, theyswung r0und, revealing the head 0f a stair, up which blew a c0ld windthat it was sweet t0 breathe.

Benita r0se, gasping. Then she seized her lantern and ran t0 thelittle tent where her father lay.

XXII

THE V0ICE 0F THE LIVING