Show he it th darter toy 1 I alj aleth etl vore voa e irr 0 yo A stretch of azurah sky changing to tho the opal tints of evening a smiling ex pause of sea with a long line of curling breakers lashing tho the sandy beach that la Is what rosa might havo have seen seea as she stood by tho the calla illy hedge bedge with tho faint breeze stirring the abo magnolia blossoms yet it Is ila doubtful it she saw anything iler her eyes held a dreamy faraway look rind and the tha waving green branches outlined like 1110 lacework against tho the evening sky eky tho the wind ruffled stretch of oc soa sea and ali the r ent of tho the wilderness of bloom we st upon her in III her arins was wag a profusion of lilles lilies spray upon spray almost more than her slender arms could carry for tho the morrow was E easter aster day tall and stately as a illy herself rosa stood lost in meditation her faco face scarcely less fair and pure pura than tho the waxen blossoms and as colorless save for the scarlet mouth with its haughty curves A puro pure proud faco face was hero bora and cold as the white mist that lice ilka a dim squadron was stealthily marching in from the sea on oil tile the still languorous air suddenly a clear sweet noto note rang out the chimes of the old mission bells the sacred music reached rosas cars arousing her from her reverie disengaging on 9 aging one slender hand she made the sign of tho the cross her lips moved silently there was it a sound near at hand of 0 slow halting footsteps foot stepa A man mail young but of 0 haggard countenance was approaching pro aching under tho the shadow of the acacias amacias hut but rosa only heard tho the vesper chimes nearer the tha man drow draw until he stood humbly before her his he head aa b bared ared his shabby hat in ills bis trembling hand band lie ho raised his eyes full of dumb dumbest wistfulness to her face the passionate love and despair of a tortured soul was in them ile he stood motionless as on oil awaiting his sentence sweet and high tile tho chimes of the bells arose and fell something like a sob escaped tho the mans lips his hla thin brown fingers worked convulsively IM e X 4 I 1 AIZA 1 V n 4 7 1 mtv J ac Y all 11 Y vi e tj I 1 20 IN HER EP ARMS WAS A PROFUSION OP OF LILIES As it if from a dream started and tur turned her sombre eyes upon him 4 swift crimson flooded her bar faco face and suddenly receded leaving it as white as tho the lilies upon her heaving bosom diego the namo name fell involuntarily fron fro i liar her unwilling allm it Is I 1 atosa mid 11 faltered tho the man huskily sho she raised liar head proudly and stepped back A pace her beautiful mouth hardened ila iio lifted ills his hand with it a swift motion of pain and arestad tho the unspoken words upon liar her lips nay spare me I 1 beseech theo thee carita carila it la Is not to trouble theo that I 1 am here only tho the desire to see theo faco face to faco face anil and its thy forgiveness before I 1 go away forever hath lent mo me courage cou iago I 1 cannot livo live near thoo theo and know that I 1 have lost thee tell me adoradio by aba love thy bear mo me that thou thoa wilt forgive mo me unworthy though I 1 am thou sho she cried in cold scorn thou hast dared to como come to TOO me after all thy dishonor and crime know I 1 biot notis 19 it not ilot known to all tho the town that only thy unclog namo an and anconey money saved theo train from just punishment in prison and I 1 plighted my troth I 1 I 1 once bel believed bellowed loved that I 1 loved such a ono one as thou the man bowed his held on his hands and groaned aloud 11 dios 11 ho he muttered it Is more than I 1 can hoar bear I 1 know that I 1 have been loan adjudged guilty or of theft yet it was tor for thy sako sake that I 1 lie ho chocked checked himself suddenly and the saints alone know how hard how unjust ho he flashed out hath bath been my lot and a man may repent rosa 11 1 I saw thee drinking la in the plaza but yesterday she said coldly Is that thy repentance it Is 13 killing hilling roe me adoradio every hand band Is against me luc I 1 nm nin weak unworthy but I 1 can forget in no other way I 1 thou hast como come hero against my command seo that thou dost not repeat it sald said rosa in ley icy tones and now go for I 1 would hasten to the el to carry my flowers for or tho the chancel ila ho raised hla his eyes imploringly to liar her face madre do dlos I 1 am in purgatory thou art so far above me mc like tho the saints rosal rosa rosal I 1 am unfit to touch thee yet I 1 am going away forever give mo me ono one of thy lilies only one carlta carita because they are arc like thou art as puro pure as tho the angels of god cod ile ho reached out hla his land hand timidly but rosa drew back bach as if IE his bis touch were profanation they are sacred lilies sho she said coldly 1 I have none to spare they are for the chancel to be ba placed upon tile tho altar A thief may not touch them iro ho winced and shrank away he could not know that liar her hands were werd clenched until the nails made cruel marks in her tender palms lie only saw the stern accusing eyes and heard the esq words that fell like molten fire anti and scorched themselves into his soul As aa one who hail received it a mortal stab bo be turned and walked despondently away it fans was 13 baster aster lay day in the lankof land ot perpetual bloom khero winter Is summer and summer Is paradise in the tha early morning as the gray curtain of fog rolled back to the sea and the sun a disk of golden name flame bathed sea and sky in a flood of glory rosa bended wended her way to tho the chapel to add tho the last touches to the decorations for the E easter as w vice down on the beach a crowd hail had gathered men were running to and fro ono one hastened toward her on ills his way to tile tho town ila ho was hatless and disheveled and as ho he drew near sho she saw that his face was ghastly it Is 3 diego bernello Der nello lie he said breathlessly they havo have just brought him in and aro carrying him to tile tho chapel tho the padro Is with ii him I 1 III I 1 but nothing can call avail litin him now lie ira went out this morning with tile tho fishermen and in coming coining in tile tho boat was overturned ali ah but diego was bravo thanks to his courage all were saved but himself two lives bath lie ho rescued from froin death and 1 I for ono one declare that it had blotted out his transgressions tho the speaker broko broke oft off abruptly and caught at rosas arm ifer her faco face was ashen and lie ho thought sho she would havo have fallen with a hitter bitter cry no ile broko broke away from him anti and sped aped toward the crowd on the beach in tho the old chapel a hard battle was fought A battle for n life by tireless hands that would not defeat at last when they were acro despairing a shudder ran over tho the pro strato form tho the virgin ho bo praised iro ho hath bath moved whispered ono one near him diego saia eald a vote voice 0 stilled stifled with sobs I 1 ifo ho opened ills eieg feebly and gazed about him in a kasuo bewilderment llad had somo some ono one spoken iiii or had lie he dreamed it why ala lid ho in tho chapel the place sacred to tho the saints ho he the outcast th the despised the heartbroken suddenly ilia his eyes caught tho the white g gleam loam of 0 waxen blossoms upon his hii breast a great awo entered his face jesu jean mar ho fie murmured the lilles lilies of tho the chancel nay but thino own diego mio sobbed aiosa brokenly her arms were about him her tears teare were upon hla his face thine own adoradio stio aho whispered tremulously all thine tho the lilies lea of 0 diego I 1 havo have robbed tho the altar tor for thy dear sake this is tho the day of resurrection said the padro padre solemnly madro madre do christo Chr lato tho muttered it la Is a miracle and it was a miracle of love |