than any other, and it seemed to
Hugo as if he spoke from out some other world.

"There is a day coming," he said, "when the secrets of all men's hearts
will be revealed. And where will you be, what will you do in that dread
day? When you stand before the Judge of all men on His great white
Throne, how will you justify yourself to Him?"

The strong conviction, the deep penetrating accents of his words,
carried a sting to Hugo's conscience. He felt as if Dino had a
supernatural knowledge of his past life and his future, when he said
solemnly:--

"Think of the secrets of your heart which shall then be made known to
all men. What have you done? Have you not broken God's laws? Have you
not in very truth committed murder?... There is a commandment in God's
Word which says, 'Thou shalt not kill.'"

"Stop, stop, for Heaven's sake, stop!" gasped Hugo, covering his face
with his hands. "How can you know all this? I did not mean to kill him.
I meant only to have my revenge. I did not know----"

"Nay, do not try to excuse yourself," said Dino, who caught the words
imperfectly, and did not understand that they referred to any crime but
the one so nearly accomplished against himself. "God knows all. He saw
what you did: He can make it manifest in His own way. Confess to Him
now: not to me. I pardon you."

There was a great sob from behind Hugo's quivering fingers; but it was
only of relief, not repentance. Dino waited a moment or two before he
said, with the tone of quiet authority which was natural to him:--

"Now fetch me the knife which you dropped amongst the ferns by the hedge
over there."

With the keen, quick sight that he possessed, he had caught a glimpse of
it in the scuffle, and seen it drop from Hugo's hand. But the young
Sicilian took the order as another proof of the sort of superhuman
knowledge of his deeds and motives which he attributed to Dino Vasari,
and went submissively to the place where the weapon was lying, picked it
up, and with hanging head, presented it humbly to the man whose
spiritual force had for the moment mastered him.

"You must not return to Netherglen," said Dino, looking at him as he
spoke. "My mother will not see you again: she does not want you near
her. You understand?"

Hugo assented, with a sort of stifled groan.

"I was forced to tell her, in order to put her on her guard. But if you
obey me, I will tell no one else. I have not even told Brian. If I find
that you return to you