THE CHRIST OF THE ANDES.

White Ribbon, Volume 32, Issue 369, 18 March 1926, Page 3

THE CHRIST OF THE ANDES.

(From the “Headway” for January.) I’uMo Estaban Chilian orulor and outlaw, stepped on to u boulder, and waved his hand proudly at the clustered tents below, on the Andes slopes. “My army" he said to his older panion. " five thousand men- and we shall descend into the Argentine lands like a thunderbolt.” “But 'he peace between our countries?” murmured Don Carlos, dubiously. “It i.* sentiment —nonsense!” Estaban sneered. “All Chili will acclaim me here when we take the first town. These Argentinians are fools, as we are, to have disarmed their frontiers.” “But the jrass?’’ “It is open. Their guns are melted into that stupid monument. They are a country unarmed, with glittering prizes for our swords -defenceless!” At daybreak the wild army gathered on the mountain-side, while the oratory of the leader fired their eyes and roused anew a mad, unthinking hatred of the Argentine peoples. There was no obstacle, Estaban declared; they were lions, with the sheep at their mercy, and no shepherd to fear. So the march began. Pablo himself rode at the head of his legion on a safefooted mule, and Don Carlos at his side, gloomy and unconvinced. Behind strode the eager hordes of men. They climbed ever higher, the pass becoming rougher anti steeper. Among tin- big rocks and lonely silences of tho peaks the noisy adventurers became quietened. IViblo Kst..ban whistled as he rode, and twirled his proud moustachios—plunder, rapine, conquest, lay ahead! “Whait is that figure in the sky?” said

Don Carlos, suddenly, pointing ahead. "The figure standing for peace," laughed Estaban. The trampling host behind the outlaw quickened their march as they, too. sighted the statue that marked the Chilian boundary. As they came nearer the solitary figure grew recognisable, and the cross ir. its left hand became clear. The sun was gilding it A-iih brightness. l'ablo Estahan spat. “A stupid thing!” he declared. ”A sentinel of the pass.” said Don Carlos, uneasily. “No sentinel could stop as now, least of all one of bronze without a weapon.” aid Estahan.

The towering figure was quite near, glittering with unearthly brilliance in the clear mountain air. A stillness had fallen on the invaders. Some were crossing themselves, wishing t hey were already past this watcher. Their leader sneered. He was right beneath the statue. “Come,” he shouted jeeiingly to his followers. "Will you fear n thing of bronze? Once it might have stopped you as guns, but now' ” His mule reared, startled by a sudden ’►earn of reflected light from the tall cross, and Estaban was shot from its hack, to full as if at tin* f.M>t of the monument. His followers stopped in unconcealed awe. Estahan lifted his head, but did not rise. Above him, in the brilliance of the mid-day sun, he saw the great Christ shining dowm on him in fearful majesty. Pablo was <kized and dumb, as once had bin another Itiul. And as he lay he saw the words he bid known from his youth engraved at the base of the figure: "These mountains themselves shall fall and crumble to dust before th» people of Chili, and the Argentine Republic forget their solemn covenant sworn at the feet of Christ. He is our peace who hath nvide both one.” Pablo Estaban stumbled blindly to his feet. “Back, lxick!” he cried. “We can not pass!”