darkest night without one false step, if I had but
once passed it before. I did not gain the room, however, till the window
had been forced; and by the light of a dark lantern which one of them
held, I perceived two men standing by the bureau--the rest you can
imagine; my victory was easy, for the bludgeon, with which one of them
aimed at me, gave way at once to the edge of your good sword, and my
pistol delivered me of the other.--There ends the history."

Lester overwhelmed him with thanks and praises, but Aram, glad to
escape them, hurried away to see after Madeline, whom he now met on the
landing-place, leaning on Ellinor's arm and still pale.

She gave him her hand, which he for one moment pressed passionately to
his lips, but dropped, the next, with an altered and chilled air. And
hastily observing he would not now detain her from a rest which she must
so much require, he turned away and descended the stairs. Some of the
servants were grouped around the place of encounter; he entered the
room, and again started at the sight of the blood.

"Bring water," said he fiercely: "will you let the stagnant gore ooze
and rot into the boards, to startle the eye, and still the heart with
its filthy, and unutterable stain--water, I say! water!"

They hurried to obey him, and Lester coming into the room to see the
window reclosed by the help of boards found the Student bending over the
servants as they performed their reluctant task, and rating them with a
raised and harsh voice for the hastiness with which he accused them of
seeking to slur it over.

CHAPTER VI.

ARAM ALONE AMONG THE MOUNTAINS.--HIS SOLILOQUY AND PROJECT.--
SCENE BETWEEN HIMSELF AND MADELINE.

Luce non grata fruor;
Trepidante semper corde, non mortis metu
Sed--
--Seneca: Octavia, act i.

The two men servants of the house remained up the rest of the night; but
it was not till the morning had progressed far beyond the usual time
of rising in the fresh shades of Grassdale, that Madeline and Ellinor
became visible; even Lester left his bed an hour later than his wont;
and knocking at Aram's door, found the Student was already abroad, while
it was evident that his bed had not been pressed during the whole of
the night. Lester descended into the garden, and was there met by Peter
Dealtry, and a detachment of the band; who, as common sense and Lester
had predicted, were indeed, at a very