d, perhaps, something more than detestation and contempt. The
villain! he is going now to take the life of the man whom he considers
chained to the ground. Well, well, they must fight it out together.
Charles Holland is sufficiently free to take his own part, although
Marchdale little thinks that such is the case."

Marchdale walked on for some little distance, and then he turned and
looked after Sir Francis Varney.

"Indeed!" he said; "so you have not released him to-night, but I know
well will do so soon. I do not, for my part, admire this romantic
generosity which sets a fox free at the moment that he's the most
dangerous. It's all very well to be generous, but it is better to be
just first, and that I consider means looking after one's self first. I
have a poniard here which will soon put an end to the troubles of the
prisoner in his dungeon--its edge is keen and sharp, and will readily
find a way to his heart."

He walked on quite exultingly and carelessly now, for he had got into
the open country, and it was extremely unlikely that he would meet
anybody on his road to the ruins.

It did not take many minutes, sharp walking now to bring him close to
the spot which he intended should become such a scene of treacherous
slaughter, and just then he heard from afar off something like the
muttering of thunder, as if Heaven itself was proclaiming its vengeance
against the man who had come out to slay one of its best and noblest
creatures.

"What is that'" said Marchdale, shrinking back a moment; "what is
that--an approaching storm? It must be so, for, now I recollect me, the
sun set behind a bank of clouds of a fiery redness, and as the evening
drew in there was every appearance in the heavens of some ensuing strife
of the elements."

He listened for a few moments, and fixed his eyes intently in the
direction of the horizon from where the muttering sounds had proceeded.

He had not long to wait before he saw a bright flash of blue lightning,
which for one instant illumined the sky; then by the time he could have
counted twelve there came the thunder which the flash preceded, and he
felt terribly anxious to complete his enterprize, so that he might get
back to the town and be safely housed before the storm, which was
evidently approaching, should burst upon him.

"It is sweeping on apace," he said; "why did I not come earlier?"

Even as he spoke he plunged among the recesses of the ruins, and
searching about for