breast and laid her cheek, with a
great tenderness upon her thin, white hands, as if her little one were
resting there and she sought the comfort of his caress.

Father Johannes turned away his eyes: the low murmur of cooing tones of
mother-ecstasy came to him as in a dream. Was the child's angel really
there?--He did not know.

"Now, oh holy _Mater Dolorosa_, _Mater Sanctissima_," he prayed within
himself.--"I know what thou hast suffered; have mercy!"

* * * * *

There was no longer any sound in the room. She had dropped her arms at
her side and had come nearer to him.

"Thou canst not know the depth of human suffering, Father Johannes, for
these things enter not into thy holy life--else couldst thou not pass
thy days in prayer and passionless meditation."

"Passionless!" he cried, and was silent, pressing his hand,
unconsciously, against the thorny cross on his breast.

"I have sent for thee again, Father, to ask a question which thou alone
canst answer."

She lifted her troubled eyes to his, deep with her question that seemed
the more terrible because her quiet voice still showed no trace of
emotion.

"Thou, who knowest the ways of God----"

(He groaned aloud.)

"Hath He stricken me for any sin?"

Then suddenly the passion of her question flamed in her white face--she
searched his, as if life or death lay in his answer.

From the hand upon his breast the blood trickled in slow drops, while he
laid the other upon her head in benediction:

"No--child--no," he gasped; "God help thee--no!"

"If--if it were for sin of mine," she said slowly, and watching him as
if she had not known whether she might trust his words--"might I not
leave the world, and take the veil in the Convent of the Holy Cross?"

"Thou?" he cried. "_Thou!_"

"Am I not fit?" she asked. "Is it not for those who suffer and would
leave the world?"

He shook his head. "No; thou art beloved of the Holy Mother. The world
is thy cross. It is there that thou shalt do thy penance. The Convent is
not for thee."

"Father, I have no tears to offer in penance."

"God asketh not tears if He hath denied them," he answered--his own
choking his speech, "but the gift of what He hath given thee--to stand
where He hath placed thee and take up thy burden of life."

"Father, I have no strength, nor will."

"They will be sent thee," he answered her.

"God is not angry with me?" she asked again with sudden passion. "