Blue it lay, sapphire-hued and dancing with points of
gold, lovely and luring as a charm; and over its triangle the south-bound
ship was approaching. People were on board who in a few weeks would be
sailing the Atlantic, while he would stand here looking out of this same
window. "Merciful God!" he cried, sinking on his knees. "Heavenly
Father, Thou seest this evil in my heart! Thou knowest that my weak hand
cannot pluck it out! My strength is breaking, and still Thou makest my
burden heavier than I can bear." He stopped, breathless and trembling.
The same visions was flitting across his closed eyes; the same silence
gaped like a dry crater in his soul. "There is no help in earth or
heaven," he said, very quietly; and he dressed himself.
VIIt was still so early that few of the Indians were stirring, and one of
these saddled the Padre's mule. Felipe was not yet awake, and for a
moment it came in the priest's mind to open the boy's door softly, look
at him once more, and come away. But this he did not, nor even take a
farewell glance at the church and organ. He bade nothing farewell, but,
turning his back upon his room and his garden, rode down the canyon.
The vessel lay at anchor, and some one had landed from ha and was talking
with other men on the shore.
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