that the Roman
standards should be rent."

The other, half in charm, half in awe, listened like one spell-bound,
with his fingers tingling and his eyeballs throbbing.

"This silence," said the elder, "is more freezing to me than the
bitterness of the cold. The very snow-flakes are dumb; nothing makes
discord but the avalanche; it is always twilight; men lie down in the
snows to die, but they are numb and cannot cry."

"Be still," replied the other, "your talk is strangely out of place. I
feel as if my ancestors in their shrouds were beside me."

"You are not wrong," cried the greater, raising his voice till it became
shrill and terrible; "your last moments are passing; that yawning ravine
is your grave. I told you an hour ago how one bad, dark deed would
redeem me. It is done! I have robbed you, and your death is essential to
my safety."

Hugenot sank upon the snow of the parapet, speechless and almost
lifeless. He clasped his hands, but could not raise his head; the whole
scene faded from his eye. If he had been weak before, he was impotent
now.

The strong man held him aloft by the shoulders with an iron grasp, and
his cold eye gave evidence to the horrible validity of his words.

"I do not lie or play, Hugenot," he said, in the same clear voice; "I
have premeditated this deed for many weeks. You are doomed! Only a
miracle can help you. The dangers of the pass will be my exculpation; it
will be surmised that you fell into the ravine. There will be no marks
of violence upon you but those of the sharp stones. We have been close
comrades. Only Omniscience can have seen premeditation. I have brought
you into this wilderness to slay you!"

The victim had recovered sufficiently to catch a part of this
confession. His lips framed only one reply--the dying man's last straw:

"After death!" he said; "have you thought of that?"

"Ay," answered the other, "long and thoroughly. Phantoms, remorses and
hells--they have all had their argument. I take the chances."

It was only a moment's struggle that ensued. The wretch clung to the
parapet, and called on God and mercy. He was lifted on high in the
strong arms, and whirled across the barrier. The other looked grimly at
the falling burden. He wondered if a dog or a goat would have been so
long falling. The distance was profound indeed; but to the murderer's
sanguine thought the body hung suspended in the air. It would not sink.
The clouds seemed to bear it up for testimo