“Do you feel better, Julio?” asked the young man.

“A little better; the heat is not so burning.”

“There is still hope!” exclaimed Geronimo, joyfully.  “Take courage, Julio; have confidence in the mercy of God.  When all human aid fails us, then God gives his omnipotent assistance.”

“But,” said Julio, “my heart beats so feebly, my limbs are benumbed.  Signor, I am dying.  The poison is killing me.”

“Die?  Julio!  You have delivered me from death, and shall I be powerless to save you?  What shall I do?  O my God, what can I try?”

“Think no more of it, signor,” said the dying man.  “I feel that there is no hope.  Alas!  I was partly the cause of your bitter sufferings:  I pushed you into the chair; I intended to kill you, the deliverer of my blind mother!  Take pity on me!  Let not your just malediction follow my poor soul into eternity.  Pardon me, signor, pardon!”

“Speak not thus, Julio.  But for you, that yawning grave would now cover my corpse.  Shall I refuse pardon to you who spared my life?  No; I will pray for you, I will give alms for the repose of your soul.  Have confidence in the goodness of God.”

“Confidence?” said Julio, in a dying voice.  “I shudder to think of the judgment which awaits me.  In this, my death agony, I see with frightful clearness.  I dare not hope in God’s mercy.  I have done nothing to merit it.  A dark veil is before my eyes.”

The death-rattle was in his throat.

Geronimo passed his arm around his neck and raised his head, and seeing Julio’s eyes fixed upon him, he said, tenderly and fervently: 

“Julio, listen to me!  You say you dare not hope in the mercy of God’ Have you forgotten that Jesus Christ shed his blood to redeem fallen man?  Do you not know that there is joy before the angels when a sinner, by sincere repentance, escapes the eternal enemy of man and enters triumphant into heaven?  You repent, do you not?  You sincerely repent?”

Julio bowed affirmatively.

“Ah!” exclaimed Geronimo, “if I cannot save your body from death, at least let me keep your soul from eternal torments.  Oh! if I could thus repay the debt of gratitude I owe you!  Julio, were God to prolong your life, would you renounce evil and return courageously and sincerely to the path of duty and virtue?  You say yes?  You implore God’s mercy, do you not?  You have confidence in the inexhaustible treasure of his goodness?  Then, Julio, raise your dying eyes to heaven, direct your last thoughts to Him who is the source of all mercy, and with full confidence let your soul wing its flight to the supreme tribunal.  Already from the highest heaven God absolves the repentant sinner!”

A triumphant hope illumined the countenance of Julio as he endeavored to raise his eyes to heaven.

“Saved—­his soul is saved!” exclaimed Geronimo, transported with a pious joy.

A slight convulsion passed over the limbs of Julio, his muscles became paralyzed, his head fell heavily on Geronimo’s shoulder, and drawing his last breath, he murmured, almost unintelligibly: