CHAPTER II. THE BEQUEATHED CRUCIFIX. When Rudolfo went to visit his uncle, the following day, the old monk repeated his warnings. Each successive day the priest earnestly besought his boy to avoid the Protestant stranger. Rudolfo said little. But there came a day when he found his uncle unable to arise from his bed. "Dios mio! You are sick and alone! will call the physician at once!" I "No, no, my boy! I need no medicine, save for my soul! My body you will soon lay to rest. But my soul-I can not tell. I have worn all my life the scapular,* and the Holy Mother may be pleased to remember her promise, but I am not sure, my boy, I am not sure. But I can do no more!" "I will run and call my mother!" interrupted the boy. "Nay, go not! Stay thou by me! Come * Scapular.-"To those who wear the scapular during life, the Virgin makes this promise: 'I, their glorious Mother, on the Saturday after their death, will descend to purgatory, and deliver those whom I shall find there and take them up to the holy mountain of eternal life?"-"What Rome Teaches," page 193. nearer to me and make me this last promise! Avoid those heretics! And one thing more, when I am gone, wilt thou take this little crucifix which has hung on my bosom all these years and wear it on thine own heart? It will keep thee from harm and it will save thee from the evil workings of those heretics." "I will keep it, Uncle; and now shall I go and call the priest to hear thy last confession?" "Nay, boy, they helped me not while I lived, will they help me while I die? There is no one to help me!" The voice was very weak. "My boy, stay by me, for I am alone, alone!" The frightened boy was kneeling, sobbing, by the bedside. The old man lay quietly, too weak to speak. "Tio," said the boy, after his sobs had passed. "Tio, I have listened to the stranger. You told me not to listen to him, so I feared to tell you what I had done. My mother, too, and the priest told me not to go near, but what do I care!" said the boy, throwing proudly back his head, his dark eyes flashing. "I went at night, and stood under his window on the street. I can not tell you much he said, but he spoke not of saints or of the Holy Virgin. 'Jesus is the one who saves us,' 2 he said. And he sang beautiful words about Jesus and about heaven. His voice is soft and sad when he sings, Tio. I wish you could hear him. I stood at the door and waited a moment. He came to speak to others who were standing there. But when he saw me he smiled and said: 'Yes, I remember you.' And he gave me this little paper. Shall I read it to you, Tio?" The old man was looking at the boy. He made no reply. Rudolfo read slowly, spelling some of the words. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life." "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life." "Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven, given unto men, whereby we must be saved." The boy turned the card. the words he sang, Tio!" "Jesus, lover of my soul, Let me to thy bosom fly. Other refuge have I none, "Here are Hangs my helpless soul on thee." "Tio," said the boy, raising his head, |