ng
there. The conflict in the yard told them that the plot had been
discovered, and as they saw us approaching the house, they dared not
meet the punishment of their crimes, and have fallen by their own
daggers. Put a torch close to their faces. Sir Gervaise, do you
recognise in either of these men the official you saw in conversation
with the Greek?"

Gervaise stepped forward and examined the men's faces.

"This is the man," he said, pointing to one of them. "I marked him so
closely that I cannot be mistaken."

"That is Pietro Romano," the governor said; "he was an able officer,
but discontented with his position and given to quarrelling with his
comrades."

"Have a hole dug and bury them in the prison," D'Aubusson said; "they
have been false to their vows, and false to their religion. They have
chosen their own mode of death; let them be buried like dogs, as they
are. But let a careful search be made of their garments and of this
room. It may be that they have some documents concealed which may be of
use to us."

The grand master then descended to the hall.

"Members of the Order," he said to the overseers, "your guilty
companions have met death by their own hands, as the others concerned
in this plot have met theirs by the swords of the knights. It were well
that this matter were not spoken of outside the prison. The attempt has
been detected, and has failed; but were it talked of, it might incite
others to repeat the attempt, and possibly with better success. Now,"
he went on, turning to the governor, "our work is done here. Call up
the other warders. Let them take the men now prisoners in the rooms, and
place them in a dungeon. Let fresh men be placed on guard, and let all
the knights gather in the courtyard."

When this was done, and all the knights again assembled, D'Aubusson
said, "Our work is nearly done, brothers. The traitors are all dead, and
the revolt is at an end. It remains but to capture the author of this
attempt; but I believe he is already in our hands. I have given an
accurate description of him to Da Veschi, who has taken four knights
with him, and they probably will catch him down at the port; if not, he
will be arrested the first thing in the morning. As to the slaves, they
will be so utterly cowed by the discovery, that there will be no fear of
their repeating the attempt. I have ordered the officials of the prison
to say naught in the town of what has taken place. There can, however,