s of a white heat?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then wait here, and be ready. As for you, my friends," he added,
turning to some of the sick, who shuddered with terror, "as soon as
I enter shut the door after me. I will answer for the rest. And you;
friend, only bring your irons when I call."

And the young missionary turned the key in the lock. At this juncture,
a cry of alarm, pity, and admiration rose from every lip, and the
spectators drew back from the door, with an involuntary feeling of
fear. Raising his eyes to heaven, as if to invoke its assistance at this
terrible moment, Gabriel pushed open the door, and immediately closed it
behind him. He was alone with Morok.

The lion-tamer, by a last furious effort, had almost succeeded in
opening the door, to which Sister Martha and the orphans were clinging,
in a fit of terror, uttering piercing cries. At the sound of Gabriel's
footsteps, Morok turned round suddenly. Then, instead of continuing
his attack on the closet, he sprang, with a roar and a bound, upon the
new-comer.

During this time, Sister Martha and the orphans, not knowing the
cause of the sudden retreat of their assailant, took advantage of the
opportunity to close and bolt the door, and thus placed themselves
in security from a new attack. Morok, with haggard eye, and teeth
convulsively clinched, had rushed upon Gabriel, his hands extended
to seize him by the throat. The missionary stood the shock valiantly.
Guessing, at a glance, the intention of his adversary, he seized him
by the wrists as he advanced, and, holding him back, bent him down
violently with a vigorous hand. For a second, Morok and Gabriel remained
mute, breathless, motionless, gazing on each other; then the missionary
strove to conquer the efforts of the madman, who, with violent jerks,
attempted to throw himself upon him, and to seize and tear him with his
teeth.

Suddenly the lion-tamer's strength seemed to fail, his knees quivered,
his livid head sank upon his shoulder, his eyes closed. The missionary,
supposing that a momentary weakness had succeeded to the fit of rage,
and that the wretch was about to fall, relaxed his hold in order to lend
him assistance. But no sooner did he feel himself at liberty, thanks
to his crafty device, than Morok flung himself furiously upon Gabriel.
Surprised by this sudden attack, the latter stumbled, and at once felt
himself clasped into the iron arms of the madman. Yet, with redoubled
strength and energy, s