hout my consent."

"I charge you to fulfil it, nevertheless, my child, if it be required,"
said Hugh Calveley, solemnly. "Promise me this, or I shall not die
content. Speak! Let me hear you."

And she reluctantly gave the required promise.

Sir Jocelyn uttered an exclamation of anguish.

"What afflicts you, my son?" demanded the Puritan.

"To whom have you promised your daughter in marriage?" inquired the
young man. "You have constituted me her brother, and I am therefore
entitled to inquire."

"You will learn when the demand is made," said the Puritan. "You will
then know why I have given the promise, and the nature of the obligation
imposed upon my daughter to fulfil it."

"But is this obligation ever to remain binding?" demanded Sir Jocelyn.

"If the claim be not made within a year after my death, she is
discharged from it," replied Hugh Calveley.

"O, thanks, father, thanks!" exclaimed Aveline.

At this moment the door of the vault was thrown open, and two persons
entered, the foremost of whom Sir Jocelyn instantly recognised as the
King. The other was his Majesty's physician, Doctor Mayerne Turquet. A
glance sufficed to explain to the latter the state of the Puritan.

"Ah! parbleu! the man is dying, your Majesty," he exclaimed.

"Deeing! is he?" cried James. "The mair reason he suld tell his secret,
to us without procrastination. Harkye, prophet of ill!" he continued, as
he strode forward. "The judgment of Heaven ye predicated for us, seems
to have fallen on your ainsell, and to have laid you low, even afore our
arm could touch you. Ye have gude reason to be thankful you have escaped
the woodie; sae e'en make a clean breast of it, confess your enormities,
and reveal to us the secret matter whilk we are tauld ye hae to
communicate!"

"Let all else withdraw a few paces," said Hugh Calveley, "and do thou, O
King, approach me. What I have to say is for thine ear alone."

"There will be no danger in granting his request?" inquired James of
his physician.

"None whatever," replied Doctor Mayerne Turquet. "The only danger is in
delay. Your Majesty should lose no time. The man is passing rapidly
away. A few moments more, and he will have ceased to exist."

On a sign from the King, Sir Jocelyn then stepped aside, but Aveline
refused to quit her father, even for a moment.

As James drew near, Hugh Calveley raised himself a little in order to
address him. "I say unto thee, O King," he cried, "as Elijah sai