er, though two of
the feathers are black, the third is white with four black spots and a
little splash of brown. Look on it, Sir Hugh; it cannot be mistook."

Hugh looked and nodded; speak he could not for the life of him.

Then Murgh began to play a little with the bow, and oh! strange and
dreadful was the music that came from its string beneath the touch of
his gloved fingers. It sang like a harp and wailed like a woman, so
fearfully indeed that the lad Day, who all this while stood by aghast,
stopped his ears with his fingers, and Hugh groaned. Then this awful
archer swiftly set the arrow on the string.

"Now think with your mind and shoot with your heart," he said in his
cold voice, and, so saying, drew and loosed as though at a hazard.

Out toward Venice leaped the shaft with a rushing sound like to that
of wings and, as it seemed to the watchers, light went with it, for
it travelled like a beam of light. Far over the city it travelled,
describing a mighty arc such as no arrow ever flew before, then sank
down and vanished behind some palace tower.

"A very good bow," said the shooter, as he handed it back to Dick.
"Never have I used a better, who have used thousands made of many a
substance. Indeed, I think that I remember it. Did you chance to find it
years ago by the seashore? Yes? Well, it was a gift of mine to a famous
archer who died upon a ship. Nay, it is not strained; I can judge of the
breaking strength of a bow. Whether or no I can judge of the flight of
an arrow you will learn hereafter. But that this one flew fast and far
cannot be doubted since--did you watchers note it?--its speed made it
shine like fire. This is caused by the rubbing of the air when aught
travels through it very quickly. This night you have seen a meteor glow
in the same fashion, only because the air fretted it in its passage.
In the East, whence I come, we produce fire just so. And now let us be
going, for I have much to do to-night, and would look upon this fair
Venice ere I sleep. I'll lead the way, having seen a map of the town
which a traveller brought to the East. I studied it, and now it comes
back to my mind. Stay, let that youth give me his garment," and he
pointed to David Day, who wore a silk cloak like the others, "since my
foreign dress might excite remark, as it did but now."

In a moment Day had stripped himself of his light silk-hooded gown,
and in another moment it was on the person of Murgh, though how it got