putation of a young man like Dino--without friends, without home,
without a name, entirely dependent upon us and our provision for him--by
making him the depository of secrets which he keeps against his
conscience and against the rule of the Order in which he lives? Brother
Dino has told me nothing; he even evaded a question which he thought
that you would not wish him to answer; but, he has acted wrongly, and
will suffer if he is led into further concealment. Need I say more?"

"He shall not suffer through me," said Brian, impetuously. "I ought to
have known better. But I was not myself; I don't remember what I said. I
was surprised and relieved when I came to myself and found you all
calling me Mr. Stretton. I never thought of laying any burden upon
Dino."

"You will do well, then," said the Prior, approvingly, "if you do not
speak of the matter to him at all. He is bound to mention it if
questioned, and I presume you do not want to make it known."

"No, I do not. But I thought that he was bound only to mention matters
that concerned himself; not those of other people," said Brian, with
more hardihood than the priest had expected of him.

Padre Cristoforo smiled, and made a little motion with his hand, as much
as to say that there were many things which an Englishman and a heretic
could not be expected to know. "Dino is in a state of pupilage," he
said, slightly, finding that Brian seemed to expect an answer; "the
rules which bind him are very strict. But--if you will allow me to
advert once more to your proposed change of name and residence--I
suppose that it is not indiscreet to remark that your friends in
England--or Scotland--will doubtless be anxious about your place of
abode at present?"

"I do not think so," said Brian, in a low tone. "I believe that they
think me dead."

"Why so?"

"Perhaps you did not hear in your quiet monastery, Father, of a party of
travellers who perished in an avalanche last November? Two guides, a
porter, and an Englishman, whose body was never recovered. I was that
Englishman."

"I heard of the accident," said Padre Cristoforo, briefly, nodding his
head. "So you escaped, signor? You must have had strong limbs and stout
sinews--or else you must have been attended by some special providential
care--to escape, when those three skilled mountaineers were lost on the
mountain side."

"On ne meurt pas quand la mort est la delivrance," quoted Brian, with a
bitter laugh. "You may be