the executioner or in
the jaws of a lion, believe that Christ can save her. Believe, and pray
to Him, and I will pray with thee."

Then, raising his face toward heaven, he said aloud,--

"O merciful Christ, look on this aching heart and console it! O merciful
Christ, temper the wind to the fleece of the lamb! O merciful Christ,
who didst implore the Father to turn away the bitter cup from Thy mouth,
turn it from the mouth of this Thy servant! Amen."

But Vinicius, stretching his hand toward the stars, said, groaning,--

"I am Thine; take me instead of her."

The sky began to grow pale in the east.

Chapter LIII

VINICIUS, on leaving the Apostle, went to the prison with a heart
renewed by hope. Somewhere in the depth of his soul, despair and
terror were still crying; but he stifled those voices. It seemed to him
impossible that the intercession of the viceregent of God and the power
of his prayer should be without effect. He feared to hope; he feared to
doubt. "I will believe in His mercy," said he to himself, "even though
I saw her in the jaws of a lion." And at this thought, even though the
soul quivered in him and cold sweat drenched his temples, he believed.
Every throb of his heart was a prayer then. He began to understand that
faith would move mountains, for he felt in himself a wonderful strength,
which he had not felt earlier. It seemed to him that he could do things
which he had not the power to do the day before. At moments he had an
impression that the danger had passed. If despair was heard groaning
again in his soul, he recalled that night, and that holy gray face
raised to heaven in prayer.

"No, Christ will not refuse His first disciple and the pastor of His
flock! Christ will not refuse him! I will not doubt!" And he ran toward
the prison as a herald of good news.

But there an unexpected thing awaited him.

All the pretorian guards taking turn before the Mamertine prison knew
him, and generally they raised not the least difficulty; this time,
however, the line did not open, but a centurion approached him and
said,--

"Pardon, noble tribune, to-day we have a command to admit no one."

"A command?" repeated Vinicius, growing pale.

The soldier looked at him with pity, and answered,--

"Yes, lord, a command of Caesar. In the prison there are many sick, and
perhaps it is feared that visitors might spread infection through the
city."

"But hast thou said that the order was for to-d