f thy birth, and there it will be told thee
what thou shalt do; for it may behove thee to give another meaning to
thy dream." He felt so positive that the Voice was from heaven, that he
felt he simply could not disobey it. So, although it cost him a lot to
do it, he turned his horse's head northwards and rode home.

There was nothing to do now but wait for God to show him His Will. He
tried to settle down again to his old life of feasting and gaiety, but
somehow he couldn't throw himself into it. There was something he was
feeling after, but he didn't know what.

One day something happened which was the beginning of great things.

Francis had been out for a ride beyond the city. As he turned his
horse's head homewards and rode slowly back towards the golden sunset,
he suddenly saw, a little way ahead, something that made him shudder and
almost turn aside on to another path. It was a poor leper, his filthy
rags only half covering his wretched body, with its horrible running
sores. His face was swollen and disfigured, and his eyes full of the
frightened misery of a hunted animal. Now, seeing lepers always made
Francis feel quite sick. He hated horrible sights. But somehow,
to-night, a new feeling woke up in him--a sudden feeling of brotherhood
with this poor man, almost of love for him. It was such terribly bad
luck that he had caught leprosy and become a ghastly sight, so that he
could not earn any money nor come near the town. Francis felt in his
wallet for a silver piece to give him, and then he thought how sad it
must be to have money flung at you by strangers, who passed by with head
turned away because they loathed the very sight of you. How the lepers
must long for just a friendly look, a smile! A great idea suddenly leapt
up in Francis's mind, and it took all his courage not to give in to
himself. As he came up with the leper, he jumped off his horse, took a
silver piece from his pocket, and held it out to the man. The leper,
full of surprise, held out his poor swollen stump of a hand, with
several fingers already rotted away, to take the coin. But meeting the
man's eyes, and seeing in them the look of hunger for friendship,
Francis took the poor hand in his, as he would the hand of his friend,
pressed the coin into it, and then, stooping, pressed his lips upon it
in a kiss. Then, with his heart full of joy, he remounted his horse and
rode home.

With that kiss a wonderful new idea had sprung up in Francis's he