Max Brand

Riders of the Silences Max Brand

"You have seen him," murmured the tall priest. "Now let us go back and wait for him. I will leaveword."He touched one of the two or three men who were watching the athletes, and whispered hismessage in the other's ear. Then he went back with Father Anthony. "You have seen him," herepeated, when they sat once more in the cheerless room. "Now pronounce on him."The other answered: "I have seen a wonderful body-but the mind, Father Victor?""It is as simple as that of a child-his thoughts run as clear as spring water.""But suppose a strange thought came in the mind of your Pierre. It would be like the pebbles inswift-running spring water. He would carry it on, rushing. It would tear away the old boundaries ofhis mind-it might wipe out the banks you have set down for him-it might tear away the choicestteachings."Father Victor sat straight and stiff with stern, set lips. He said dryly: "Father Anthony has beenmuch in the world.""I speak from the best intention, good father. Look you, now, I have seen that same red hair andthose same lighted blue eyes before, and wherever I have seen them has been war and trouble andunrest. I have seen that same smile which stirs the heart of a woman and makes a man reach for hisrevolver. This boy whose mind is so clear-arm him with a single wrong thought, with a singledoubt of the eternal goodness of God's plans, and he will be a thunderbolt indeed, dear Father, butone which even your strong hand could not control.