onfession. Think of Jesu's love, and of His
death on the bitter cross--the wounds that He bore for us in love. Give
me a sign if you can that you repent."

Chris spoke rapidly, and leaned back a moment. Now he was terrified of
waiting--he did not know how long it would be; but for an intent instant
he stared down on the shadowed face.

Again the eyelids flickered; the lips formed words, and ceased again.

The priest glanced up, scarcely knowing why; and then again lowered
himself that if it were possible Ralph might hear.

Then he spoke, with a tense internal effort as if to drive the grace
home....

"_Ego te absolvo ab omnibus censuris et peccatis, in nomine Patris_--"
He raised himself a little and lifted his hand, moving it sideways
across and down as he ended--"_et Filii et Spiritus Sancti_."

* * * * *

The priest rose up once more, his duty driving his emotion down; he did
not dare to look across at the two figures beyond the bed, or even to
question himself again as to what he was doing.

The two men at the further end of the room were waiting now; they had
lifted the candles and crucifix off the table, and set them on the bench
by the side.

Chris went swiftly across the room, dropped on one knee, rose again,
lifted the veiled vessel that stood in the centre, with the little linen
cloth beneath, and set it all down on the bench. He knelt again, went a
step aside back to the table, lifted the other vessel, and signed with
his head.

The two men grasped the ends of the table, and carried it across the
floor to the end of the bed. Chris followed and set down the sacred oils
upon it.

"The cross and one candle," he whispered sharply.

A minute later he was standing by the bed once more.

"_Oremus_--" he began, reading rapidly off the book that Beatrice held
steadily beneath his eyes.

"_Almighty Everlasting God, who through blessed James Thy Apostle, hast
spoken, saying, Is any sick among you, let him call the priests of the
Church_--" (The lips of the dying man were moving again at the sound of
the words; was it in protest or in faith?)--" ... _that is what is done
without through our ministry, may be wrought within spiritually by Thy
divine power, and invisibly by Thy healing; through our Lord Jesus
Christ. Amen._"

The lips were moving faster than ever on the pillow; the head was
beginning to turn from side to side, and the mouth lay open.

"_Usquequo, Domine_"