then to the cave where I found him. I called
him--he heard, and held up a miner's lamp and saw me!--then--then, oh,
dear God!--then he cursed me for following him,--he raised his arm to
strike me, and in his furious haste to reach me he slipped on the wet,
mossy stones. Something fell from his hand with a great crash like
thunder--and there was a sudden glare of fire!--oh, the awfulness of
that sound and that flame!--and the rocks rose up and split
asunder--the ground shook and broke under me--and I remember no
more--no more till I found myself here!--here with you!"

Morgana roused herself from the stupefaction of horror with which she
had listened to this narration.

"Do not think of it any more!" she said in a low sad voice--"Try to
forget it all. Yes, dear!--try to forget all the mad selfishness and
cruelty of the man you love! Poor, besotted soul!--he has a bitter
punishment!"

She could say no more then,--stooping, she kissed the girl on the white
forehead between the rippling waves of dark hair, and strove to meet
the searching eyes with a smile.

"Dear, beautiful angel, you will help me?" Manella pleaded--"You will
help me to be his wife?"

And Morgana answered with pitiful tenderness.

"I will!"

And with a sign to Lady Kingswood to come nearer and sit by the girl as
she lay among her pillows more or less exhausted, she herself left the
room. As she opened the door on her way out, the strong voice of Roger
Seaton rang out with singularly horrible harshness--

"There shall be no more wars! There can be none! I say it! My great
secret! I am master of the world!"

Shuddering as she heard, she pressed her hands over her ears and
hurried along the corridor. Her thoughts paraphrased the saying of
Madame Roland on Liberty--"Oh, Science! what crimes are committed in
thy name!" She was anxious to see and speak with Professor Ardini, but
came upon the Marchese Rivardi instead, who met her at the door of the
library and caught her by both hands.

"What is all this?" he demanded, insistently--"I MUST speak to you! You
have been weeping! What is troubling you?"

She drew her hands gently away from his.

"Nothing, Giulio!" and she smiled kindly--"I grieve for the griefs of
others--quite uselessly!--but I cannot help it!"

"There is no hope, then?" he said.

"None--not for the man"--she replied--"His body will live,--but his
brain is dead."

Rivardi gave an expressive gesture.

"Horrible! Better he shoul