forgiven. And now peace be with thee--"

"Father--"

"I listen to thee, servant of the Lamb."

On the laborer's face perplexity was evident. Not long before he had
killed a man, and perhaps two, but the teaching of Christ forbids
killing. He had not killed them in his own defence, for even that is
not permitted. He had not killed them, Christ preserve! for profit.
The bishop himself had given him brethren to assist, but had not
permitted him to kill; he had killed inadvertently, for God had punished
him with too much strength. And now he was doing grievous penance.
Others sing when the millstones are grinding; but he, hapless man, is
thinking of his sin, of his offence against the Lamb. How much has he
prayed already and wept? How much has he implored the Lamb? And he
feels that he has not done penance enough yet! But now he has promised
again to kill a traitor,--and done well! He is permitted to pardon only
offences against himself; hence he will kill Glaucus, even before the
eyes of all the brethren and sisters, in Ostrianum to-morrow. But let
Glaucus be condemned previously by the elders among the brethren, by the
bishop, or by the Apostle. To kill is not a great thing; to kill a
traitor is even as pleasant as to kill a bear or a wolf. But suppose
Glaucus to perish innocently? How take on his conscience a new murder,
a new sin, a new offence against the Lamb?

"There is no time for a trial, my son," said Chilo. "The traitor will
hurry from Ostrianum straightway to Cæsar in Antium, or hide in the
house of a certain patrician whom he is serving. I will give thee a
sign; if thou show it after the death of Glaucus, the bishop and the