As Adoni strove to obey the signal, every nerve in his body seemed paralyzed with fear.

On and on the shrouded form beckoned him to come - Adoni's feet moved unsteadily - then - by an overpowering instinct he stumbled along toward the figure suddenly disappearing like an apparition.

In the entrance of the arbor, Adoni stood horror stricken - his eyes became riveted upon two crouching forms. - The light of the moon fell ghastly upon their faces - Adoni recognized them - His sister Martha in the arms of Vallero.

An appalling terror seized Adoni's heart - his brain seemed on fire, then leaped into flames - . Madly he dashed forward - and in a frenzy of passion flung himself upon Vallero - grasped Martha by the arm and thrust her quickly to one side.

At the thought of his sister's danger, Adoni exercised no reason. With a grip of iron he held Vallero down upon the seat.

"Make another move, villain - and I'll throttle you where you are."

"Brother, brother! what are you doing -?"

"Stand aside Martha - ." Adoni's low, commanding voice cleft the air like steel, but it fell upon the frightened girl's ear like a far-off echo. A horrible oath from her lover roused her from her half-dazed condition and she threw her arms about her brother's neck, crying bitterly: "Oh! Don, you don't know Clarence. Let us explain, brother dear, we love each other - and we were going to be married tonight------."

"Married, tonight!" interjected Adoni, vehemently - "Married to that scoundrel? My God, Martha, you do not realize what you are saying. Does a man who loves a woman induce her to a secret place at this hour of the night to marry her? No, no, the villain means to dishonor, then desert you - ."

"It's a damned lie," blazed Vallero.

While Adoni was loosening Martha's arms about his neck, Vallero sprang toward him, but with a quick skillful movement Adoni warded him off with a hard blow. Vallero staggered backward, the shock of the blow stunned him for a second, then tempered him to a madness in which he leaped furiously upon Adoni.

"Curse you, miserable dog, for interfering with me a second time - I'll strangle the breath out of your------."

Vallero did not finish his sentence; another masterful blow hurled him violently to the ground.

Martha screamed. Rushing to her lover, she cried hysterically: "Oh! Don, what have you done? Clarence is bleeding."

Adoni came to Martha's cide, quickly raised her from the ground, led her to the opposite bench of the arbor and seated her upon it. While attempting to quiet her fears, Vallero was stealthily crawling upon his hands and knees. Then, suddenly as if obsessed by the spirit of a devil he sprang silently upon Adoni's throat. Their arms closed together in savage conflict.

Adoni Bourdalone was the taller and more powerful of the two men, and with the strength of a giant he forced Vallero to the ground and held him there without mercy.

All the primitive savagery latent within the serene, self-possessed man boiled to the surface and his lofty, spiritual force was entirely forgotten. Reason, self-control, training, all were swept away with the rising tide of animal passion, creating in him the lust to kill with his hands, this demon in human form.

The men struggled ferociously. The excitement of the combat was beginning to tell; their breath came in hoarse, labored gasps, each battling with brute force. It would only be the question of endurance as to which would be the first to succumb.

Martha, aroused at last from dumb terror, screamed out once more in a frenzy of despair. "Stop, stop, Clarence, Adoni, stop for mercy sake stop - you are killing each other."

Heedless of her cries the fight grew hotter and more terrible, until Vallero at length loosened his grip of vengeance and moaned with pain - begging thickly, "Spare me - save me - "

"Save you!" panted Adoni, with a maddened tone. Yes, I'll save you from committing any more crime; save you from yourself, slanderer, seducer - hell is the place for you. The devils are waiting for such as you - writhe if you want to - you will not get away from me alive------."

With every word, Adoni pressed his victim closer to the earth, placed his knee more firmly upon his prostrate body, his fingers clutched deep into his throat - .

A long, gutteral sound escaped Vallero's lips - another faint sigh - then - all was still.

Through the grewsome stillness of the night - a Voice - terrible, in its unearthly austerity - trembled------:

"Thou shalt not kill!"

Adoni relaxed his hold upon the quivering form - looked up in the direction from whence came the voice - and - leaped to the ground - . A cold agony gripped his heart - Mute and awe-stricken, Adoni gazed upon the veiled speaker, standing with her hand pointing heavenward. As she turned her white face upon his, with eyes looking imploringly into his own - Adoni fell upon his knees. His soul cried out in mortal anguish:

"Mother - mother! Thank God, mother - you have saved me from murder------."

Upon trembling knees, Adoni moved along the ground. "Speak to me once more, mother - mother, dear" - he gasped - in vain.

A vaporous cloud enveloped the fleeting form. She vanished in the shadows of the moonlight.

"Oh God," moaned Adoni. Crushed and humiliated he buried his face upon the ground. In sorrow his humble spirit groveled in the dust of the earth. That he, a man who taught a glorious truth would so far forget the sacredness of his faith and in the moment of unbridled passion, came very nigh violating one of the first commandments: "Thou shalt not kill." Something whispered that it was simply the expression of a holy indignation, natural enough in itself to one placed in his situation in that terrible moment. Holy indignation, indeed! Was murder then permissable when done in the spirit of condemnation for crime? God forbid; Adoni saw it all now, as if in the mirror of his own soul. He had been too self-centered. The same feeling that he had been conscious of, years ago, had once more mastered him. That he was not as other men. He realized now that he had been too Pharisaical in his life's ambition. Keep to your knees Adoni; humiliation is good for the soul.

How long in mute submission Adoni Bourd-alone knelt at the feet of "The Spiritual Master" he hardly knew. Did not realize the passing of time. Still on bended knees, he felt the torrents of his soul break forth. In his agony he wept bitterly - wept tears of blood that brought the comfort of God to his repentant soul. Like a breath from the presence of angels came the consoling words of the Master: "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."

Adoni rose from his knees. The garden was dark and deserted. In that bitter struggle for life, Adoni had become oblivious to all his surroundings. Where was Martha and Vallero -? With this thought Adoni became faint - . With faltering steps he dragged himself toward the house. Utterly exhausted he sank upon the foot of the stair - he could go no further.

Footsteps were hurrying along the roadside - a girlish figure opened the gate - hastily entered the garden - and ran breathlessly along the walk!

Adoni startled - ! "Martha - you alone - !" His whole body shook - ! "Where is Vallero -?"

"Come, brother dear, - you are sick, Don - very sick - ! Come into the house, brother, and I will explain all - !"

Adoni arose to his feet - ! Tremblingly he placed his arm about his sister's waist, and she supported the weak man into the still lighted room.

With a long shuddering sigh, Adoni sank into his mother's chair - and sobbed - bitterly - !

As the morning light was breaking through the darkness of that terrible night, Martha was still seated on a low stool beside her brother - her head lying wearily, upon his knee. She had told the story of the tragic night.

"God delights in true, earnest thinkers."