r, and for which her poor heart so fondly yearned. The tears sprang
to her eyes and her self control, that which the brutality of Winter
could not break down, gave way. She turned toward him like a poor
tired bird after battling with a storm; her weakness could not endure
longer to see protection neath the leaf and branches of his goodness
and not avail herself of it.

In a moment more the words had passed her lips,--all that she had
overheard, the words uttered by Fawkes, and the fear and anguish which
since had haunted her.

"Is there naught I can do?" she cried. "O God! when did I ever commit
a sin worthy of the punishment?" She raised her eyes to Garnet. "Even
thou art pale to the lips from the hideousness of the thing."

Through the girl's confession, Garnet's attitude remained unchanged.
At her first words he started, but with an effort controlled himself.
The sudden revelation that their plans were known by one outside those
who composed the little band consecrated to the holy cause, filled him
with a terror which, at first, reason was unable to check. But as she
proceeded, the quick mind of the priest perceived that the girl's one
thought was, not to save the King, nor to defeat their hopes, but only
to deliver her father from the danger to which he was exposed. The
fear gradually passed away, and as Elinor ceased speaking, the
strongest feeling in the prelate's mind was one of sympathy for her
who wept before him.

"Is there naught," Garnet inquired, mildly, when the girl had
finished, "that thou can'st see to justify thy father's act, and by
that justification bring to thee consolation? Think, even though he
were marked to die, more honor belongs to him in this, than to live to
old age in idleness and inactivity. Dwell upon thy love for him, then
meditate on his love for the Church."

"Nay," she answered, "my knee doth bend before the altar with as great
a reverence as any who do honor to the Host, and were my father to
fall in open conflict I would not grudge his life given to a noble
cause. But this act is not loyalty to God, for, did He not decree,
'Thou shalt not kill?' 'Tis naught but murder; and if my father fall,
he will not meet death as a martyr, but as a common assassin."

Garnet was silent; the girl's words sounded strangely to him. Not
wishing to reveal his identity he determined to avoid further
argument, fearing suspicions might be raised in Elinor's mind which
would only make matters wors