n its garden of
forgetfulness will wipe out the bitterness of a life. When he awoke he
stretched out his hand as he was accustomed to do and rapped three times
on the wall. But the tide of consciousness returned to him even as he did
so, and in the dead silence that followed his very heart grew cold.

Then the Father Minister began to awaken the household. His deep call and
the muffled answer which followed it rose higher and higher and came
nearer and nearer, and every step as he approached seemed to beat upon
John Storm's brain. He had reached the topmost story--he was coming down
the corridor--he was standing before the door of the dead man's cell.

"Benedicamus Domino!" he called, but no answer came back to him. He
called again, and there was a short and terrible silence.

John Storm held his breath and listened. By the faint click of the lock
he knew that the door had been opened, and that the Father Minister had
entered the room. There was a muttered exclamation and then another short
silence, and after that there came the click of the lock again. The door
had been closed, and the Father Minister had resumed his rounds. When he
called at the door of John Storm's cell not a tone of his voice would
have told that anything unusual had taken place.

The bell rang, and the brothers trooped down the stairs. Presently the
low, droning sound of their voices came up from the chapel where they
were saying Lauds. But the service had scarcely ended when the Father
Minister's step was on the stair again. This time another was with him.
It was the doctor. They entered the brother's room and closed the door
behind them. From the other side of the wall John Storm followed every
movement and every word.

"So he has gone at last, poor soul!"

"Is he long dead, doctor?"

"Some hours, certainly. Was there nobody with him then?"

"He didn't wish for anybody. And then you told us that nothing could be
done, and that he might live a month."

"Still, a dying man, you know---- But how strangely composed he looks!
And then the cross on his breast as well!"

"He was very devout and penitent. He made his last devotion yesterday
with an intensity of joy such as I have rarely witnessed."

"His eyes closed, too! You are sure there was nobody with him?"

"Nobody whatever."

There was a moment's silence and then the doctor said, "Well, he has
slipped his anchor at last, poor soul!"

"Yes, he has launched on the ocean of the love o