turret was at least a hundred feet in air. Behind this were the
ivy-covered walls of the body of the church. It was at that time when
the earth grows still before drawing her night robes about her. In the
western sky the sun's last streamers flared out like a gorgeous fan, and
on their tips some shy diamonds glittered evasively. From the fields
around us came the sweet breath of the spring, smelling of the richer
fragrance of early summer. The birds were still; the stamping of our
horses in the road below was the only sound.

"Shall we go in?"

I started, although the tones were low and like the music of rippling
water. When I turned my head, the brown eyes looking into mine had a
mournful expression. The impressiveness of it all was upon her, too.
There must have been a certain look of inquiry upon my face, for she
went on, in the same wonderful voice:

"It's never locked, you know. I like that custom about a Catholic
church. So often the soul would enter into a holy place and be alone in
prayer. Shall we enter? I think there is enough light for us to see."

In reply, I drew closer to her, and held out my arm. She took it
lightly, and in the deepening twilight we walked to the broad, wooden
door. It yielded reluctantly to the pressure of my hand, on account of
its size and weight, and together we entered the shadows of the sacred
place.

XI

The door settled heavily into place behind us, and we were in almost
complete darkness. Somewhere in front of us was a glimmer of light. I
felt the slight figure at my side drawing me forward, and I put myself
under her guidance. Crossing the vestibule, we passed into the room
beyond. Although we trod lightly, the bare floor sent up sounds which
echoed loudly, it seemed to us. A ghostly light filled the chamber into
which we had come, and made it look much larger than it really was. The
roof was lost above us, but there, before us, were the plain, brown,
wooden benches forming the pews, and the nave leading down to the altar
railing. Along this a worn strip of carpet was placed. Slowly we went
forward, awed by the silent majesty of a place of worship. All at once
there came to me a realization of the peculiar position in which I was
placed--walking down a church aisle with a beautiful girl upon my
arm--and my face grew red. I could tell it by the hot tingling at my
neck and temples, but the gloom was deep enough to hide it from her. The
sudden force of what such a