'
Fernando's face was bathed in tears; he held out his arms, and to
little Lance's great amazement, somewhat to his vexation, he held him
fast and kissed him.
'What did you do that for?' he asked in a gruff astonished voice.
'Never mind!' said Fernando. 'Only I think I see what this day can
be! Now go.'
Presently Mr. Audley came softly in. The lad's face was turned in to
his cushion, his handkerchief over it; and as the young priest stood
watching him, what could be done but pray for the poor struggling
soul? At last he turned round, and looked up.
'I saw it again,' he said with a sigh.
'Saw what!'
'What you all mean. It touched me, and seemed true and real when
Lance was singing. What was it--"Born to save the sons of earth"? Oh!
but such as I am, and at my age, too!'
And with a few words from Mr. Audley, there came such a disburthening
of self-accusation as before to Felix. It seemed as if the terrible
effects of his wilfulness at the inn--horrified as he was at them--
were less oppressive to his conscience than his treachery to his host
in his endeavour to gamble with the little boys. He had found a pair
of dice in his purse when looking for the price of a Bible, and the
sight had awakened the vehement hereditary Mexican passion for
betting, the bane of his mother's race.
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