Phroso

g rivals. Not only should I have been wise, but I should have chosen, in that risky walk of mine through the wood that covered the hill-s

farewell under the quiet sky, in prospect of the sea that turned to gold. So I passed back and forward till I seemed myself hardly a thinking man, but rather a piece of blank glass, across which the myriad mites of the kaleidoscope chased one another, covering it with varying colours, but none of them imparting their hue to it. Yet all this time, by the strange division of mental activity of which I have spoken, I was crawling cautiously but quickly up the mountain side, with eyes keen to pierce the dusk that now fell, with ears apt to find an enemy in every rustling leaf and a hostile step in every woodland sound. Of real foes I had as yet seen none. Ah! Hush! I dropped on my knees. Away there on the right-what was it leaning against that tree-trunk? It was a tall lean man; his arms rested on a long gun, and his face was towards the old grey house. Would he see me? I crouched

t I saw none. I was in a narrow passage; there were doors on either side of me. Listening again, I heard no sound from right or left. I opened the door to the right. I saw a small square room: the table was spread for a meal, three places being laid, but the room was empty. I turned to the other door and opened it. This room was darker, for heavy curtains, drawn, no doubt, earlier in the day to keep out the sun, had not been drawn back, and the light was very dim. For a while I could make out little, but, my eyes growing more accustomed to the darkness, I soon perceived that I was in a sitting-room, sparsely and rather meanly furnished. Then my

e asked, rubbing her hands acr

ft step I

!' I said, laying my

of my revolver peeping out of my pocket and Hogvar

I went on; 'and I have come here because there's som

amazed surprise, but wit

e went to watch you-y

sed so. But I've been near you since then. Do

ou?' she as

nd while I was

s house is watched. Constantine m

hill. Now listen. Are you this man's

ed in her answer was the best guarantee of its truth, and became her well. And she held her

t,' said I brusquely. 'Time's valuable

o not believe that in her heart she was surprised at what she heard. She had mistrusted the man; her manner, even on our first encounter, had gone far to prove that. She received my story rather as a confirmation of her own suspicions than as a new or startling revelation. She was fearful, excited, strung to a high pitch; but astonished she was not, if I read her right. And when I

. 'I have not seen he

have told you, and she is on her guard. You need fear no

she asked, with a

aid,' I returned. 'Put

ang to

they may come any moment! Where are you going? How are

s, we'll go through with the thing together. If I don't find them, I shall hunt for a boat. If I don't find a

facing me, and she l

lishmen,' she said. 'You won

. Doesn't that ans

fiend! Will you

to her and robbed me of almost all prospect o

you can see no o

he will see I suspect him. If I appear to

'But it's a thousand to one

utside said, 'Is all well?' and a

d in a whisper. 'Vl

'But there are at least two besi

ld be death. Here, hide behind the curtains. I'll

he curtains and she drew them close. I heard her fling herself again on the couch

ong smell of eau de Co

good Vlacho, I am very ill. Should I sit in a dark r

aid Vlacho politely. 'And the more so because I am c

than to come himself,' she remarked, wi

an!' said the plausible Vlacho. 'We have had no peace. But a

ave driven

y are separated and we shall catch them. Oh,

ght any of them yet?

re. No, we have

' she asked. 'Has he shown

etrayed irritati

e, though heaven knows where t

Francesca. I heard her sniff her p

sound,' laughed Vlacho. 'S

will you do

aid Vlacho. 'If she will give

interest in her. Isn't my husb

is a more fitting place for my lady than this dog-hole. I am here to esc

oed scornfully. 'Why, wh

from love to you he will show you to-night the great secret of his house. He desires

ffian say this, I laid firmer hold on my

ired, and my head aches. Your secrets will wait; and if my husband will not co

urgent that you shou

if I were we

permit, I and my men would carry y

And my husband is tedious also, if he sent all these long

ngry if I return alone,

ou did your best to persuade me,

step or two across the floor. He was com

turn without

stay here and

s not love t

he should not have ma

with a coolness wonderful for a woman in such peril. My heart went out to h

rds, and her defiant taunt rang out cle

d hastily. There was the hi

'And why not so loud? Is

leasant one-that there must be people within earshot, perhaps people who had not been

t every one hear,' said Vlacho, confu

? Who is h

' said he. 'With these cut-throat Englishmen abou

opinion of his subterfuge, and s

w that I am the wife of Constantine, how can I

of it? There is an excellent hiding-place in the house, where my lord can bestow you most comfortably. You will w

rd will announce me publicly to all the island as his wife, then I will come

im to that yourself,' said Vlacho. 'Bu

name,' she answered. 'Go

en Vlacho said in su

. I was ordered to bring

dress as she drew back; then a

Vlacho. 'I shall call

e said in a low voice

ut that,' said he, and his hea

ing to the windo

rtes to help me,' said

s lance was protruded before me. At that moment I asked nothi

if you do what y

my lord,' said Vlacho. 'See, my hand is

ot come,'

sted in my pocket; the noise of a shot would be fatal. With God's help I would drive the lance home with

then,' said

a groan he flung his arms over his head and fell sideways, half-supported by the curtain till the fabric was rent away from the rings and fell over his body, enveloping him in a thick pall. I drew my lance back. The force of the blow had overstrained Hogvardt's wire fastenings; the blade was bent to an angle with the shaft and shook loosely from side to side. Vlacho's blood began to curl in a meandering trickle fro

whispered in Engl

ha

there. You may h

, pre

. Qu

the

k, for God's

ered. Then she cried lou

pattered on the hard ground. The man who had leaped in-a very tall, handsome and athletic fellow, whom I had not seen before-held to my head a long old-fashioned pistol. I let

ld,' s

you?' h

Wheatley,'

ot fly to the-

was trying to escape. I came in while Madame

s so, Kortes, it is as he s

o came to the window to call you; and by misadventure, sir, he ca

' cried Demetri, fiercely an

turne

ve yielded? The Lady of the island and my Lord Constantine m

shot of mine. But he was treating me as an honourab

m that fellow and the rest till yo

d lifted the curtain from Vlacho's face. The innkeeper stirred a

for him. When I am able, I will send ai

eemed not to like the

onstantine?' he asked. 'Leave another with V

ith a smile. (This relationship was a new light to me.) 'I am going to do wh

dy here?' a

r on the lady,' answered Kortes.

erposed with

y story to tell when this gentleman is put

savage scowl, and I noticed that one side of his head was

'I owe you the lo

e?' I hazarded

id he, 'or see it paid han

d Kortes, '

e. I followed their example, but my heart (I must confess) beat as I waited to see in what direction our column was to march. We started down the hill towards the house. If we were going to the house I had perhaps twenty minutes to live, and the lady who was with us would not long survive me. In vain I scanned Kortes's comely grave features. He marched with the impassive regularity of a grenadier and disp

we going?

own,' he

went on. Then I heard the bell of a church strike twelve. The strokes ended, but another bell began to ring. Our escort stopped with one accord. They took off their caps and signed

ast of St Tryphon

I know, but his feast is n

red, and he seemed to look at me as though

ce some little way farther. We had now reached the main road and were descending rapidly towards the town. I saw again the steep narrow street, empty and still in the moonlight. We held on our way till we came to a rather large squ

anopoulos c

said she. 'I can't

Kortes calmly. 'T

d into a large room on the right. I followed him into a smaller room, scantily furnished, and flung myself in exhaustion on a wooden bench that ran along the wall. For an instant Kortes stood

e safe. Nor even Constantine would dare

one. I heard the bolt of the d

ount on for some time past. So I also doffed my hat in honour of the holy St Tryphon. And presen