wine which you will find in the little cellar hard by; there is some oil
there too, which you will need for a light.

"I must go up to the brethren, and if I do not return to-morrow, give the
poor lad over to his mother to nurse. Only tell her this, that I,
Paulus, gave him this wound in a moment of rage, and to forgive me if she
can, she and Petrus. And you too forgive me that in which I have sinned
against you, and if I should fall in the battle which awaits us, pray
that the Lord may not be too hard upon me in the day of judgment, for my
sins are great and many."

At this moment the sound of the trumpets sounded even into the deepest
recess of the cave. Sirona started. "That is the Roman tuba," she
exclaimed. "I know the sound--Phoebicius is coming this way."

"He is doing his duty," replied Paulus. "And still, one thing more. I
saw last night a ring on your hand--an onyx."

"There it lies," said Sirona; and she pointed to the farthest corner of
the cave, where it lay on the dusty soil.

"Let it remain there," Paulus begged of her; he bent over the senseless
man once more to kiss his forehead, raised his hand towards Sirona in
sign of blessing, and rushed out into the open air.




CHAPTER XIX.