ibunal.'"

Again Grace was silent. Armitage seemed lost in thought. Presently he
said:

"And the Abbess--what became of her?"

"She had to bear her cross for her great sin. Her punishment was worse
than death. Not only had she broken her vows and offended Heaven, but
she was separated forever from the man to whom she had given her love.
Cursed by the Church, shunned by everybody, she wandered miserably from
village to village, leading by the hand a little child."

Armitage was silent for a few minutes, and then he said:

"You were reminded of this story by some remark you had previously made:
What was it?"

"I said in answer to your hypothesis as to what a woman would or would
not do for a man she loved, that even a saint might succumb, given
certain circumstances. The Abbess was a saint. Yet she sinned."

"I don't think I would call that a sin," objected Armitage. "The real
sinner was the judge who pardoned her."

"Why not the chevalier who tempted her?" rejoined Grace.

He made no answer, but remained looking steadfastly at her. Then rising
abruptly to his feet, he began to pace nervously up and down the sands.
His face was pale, his eyes flashed, the muscles around his mouth
twitched. He gave every sign of being under an intense emotional strain.
There was something to be said, and he dare not say it. It was a novelty
for him to find himself lacking in courage. At any other time he would
have faced a tiger about to spring; he would have looked without
flinching into the muzzle of a leveled rifle. But at that instant he
quailed like a craven--he dared not tell this girl that he loved her and
wanted her for his wife.

CHAPTER XV.

He disappeared and Grace did not see him again for the remainder of that
day. All afternoon she waited, expecting each moment to see him
reappear. Not wishing to be away in case he suddenly returned and wanted
some supper, she omitted her customary visit to Mount Hope.

At first she did not mind his long absence. Busily preoccupied with her
sewing and half a dozen other tasks about the camp, the time passed so
quickly that she hardly noticed it. But when darkness commenced to fall
and still he did not come, she began to feel uneasy. He had not told her
that he expected to be gone so long. Something must have happened.
Perhaps he had met with an accident and at that very moment was lying
hurt, in need of assistance. She turned hot and cold by turns at this
thought. Suppo