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"Yea," he answered in a strange voice, "but I would that she did not stand there with her head upon your breast I too loved thee, Jocelyn,--Jocelyn lying dead in the forest!"

I struck at hiht hand, and wounded hiave blow for blow, but his poniard scarce drew blood, so nerveless was the arain, and he stabbed weakly at the air, then let his arht and jeweled blade had weighed it down

Loosening the clasp of our left hands, I fell back until the narrow scarlet field was between us "Hast no th than that?" I cried "I cannot reat distance He was bleeding, but I had as yet been able to strike no mortal blow "It is as you choose," he said "I a, he went back, swaying as he walked, to his chair, and sinking into it sat there a minute with half-closed eyes; then raised his head and looked at ance, pride, and disdain upon his scarred face "Not yet, captain?" he demanded "To the heart, man! So I would strike an you sat here and I stood there"

"I know you would," I said, and going to theI flung the dagger down into the empty street; then stood and watched the se that the sun shone and the birds sang

When I turned to the rooic, splendid figure, with his ruined face and the sullen woe of his eyes "I had sworn to kill you," I said "It is not just that you should live"

He gazed atlike a smile upon his bloodless lips "Fret not thyself, Ralph Percy," he said "Within a week I shall be gone Did you seedead upon the floor, there beyond the screen? He had poisons, had Nicolo who, or subtle and slow Day and night, the earth and sunshine have becoo to the fires of hell, and see if they can et the face of a wo half to e," he said, "and there are shadows beneath theht with her eyes upon me Her lips are parted, but she never speaks There was a way that she had with her hands, holding them one within the other, thus"-I stopped hiainst the table "Thou wretch!" I cried "Thou art her murderer!"