t you are young, Orion, and I am old. You triumph in
the action only, I foresee the consequences. Do you know what lies before
you, if it should be discovered that you have covered the escape of the
prey whom the patriarch already sees in his net? Have you considered that
Benjamin, the most implacable and most powerful hater among the
Jacobites, will pursue you as his mortal foe with all the fearful means
at his command?"

"I have considered it," replied Orion.

Rufinus laid his left hand on the young man's shoulder, and his right
hand on his head, saying, "Then take with you, to begin with, an old
man's--a father's blessing."

"Yes, a father's," repeated Orion softly. A happy thrill ran through his
body and soul, and he fell on the old man's neck deeply moved.

For a minute they stood clasped in each other's arms; then Rufinus freed
himself, and set out to seek the abbess. Orion returned to the women,
whose curiosity had been roused to a high pitch by seeing Rufinus
disappear through the gate leading to the convent-garden. Dame Joanna
could not sit still for excitement, and Pulcheria answered at random when
Orion and Paula, who had an infinity of things to say or whisper to each
other, now and then tried to draw her into the conversation. Once she
sighed deeply, and when her friend asked her: "What ails you, Child?" she
answered anxiously:

"Something serious must be going forward, I feel it. If only Philippus
were here!"

"But we are all safe and well, thank God!" observed Orion, and she
quickly replied:

"Yes indeed, the Lord be praised!" But she thought to herself:

"You think he is of no use but to heal the sick; but it is only when he
is here that everything goes right and happens for the best!"

Still, all felt that there was something unusual and ominous in the air,
and when the old man presently returned his face confirmed their
suspicions. He laid aside his hat and staff in speechless gravity; then
he put his arm affectionately round his wife and said:

"You will need all your courage and self-command once more, as you have
often done before, good wife; I have taken upon myself a serious duty."

Joanna had turned very pale, and while she clung to her husband and
begged him to speak and not to torture her with suspense, her frail
figure was trembling, and bitter tears ran down her cheeks. She could
guess that her husband was once more going away from her and their child,
in the service and for the