ory examination
entered. At last the man seemed satisfied, and with a muttered curse
was about to leave the apartment, when a fatal turn of the lantern
swept one of its rays full upon the Jesuit.

"Ah! there thou art, my sly fox!" cried the soldier, springing, sword
in hand, at Garnet; another instant would have seen the priest pinned
fast to the wall, had not the man's foot in some way become entangled
in the mantle hanging upon his arm, throwing him headlong with great
clatter of steel to the floor.

In a moment Garnet was upon him, both hands at the soldier's throat,
the long fingers pressing firmly the windpipe; one more strong clasp
and the priest released his hold, seized the other's sword, which had
fallen to the floor, and stood with its point upon the man's breast.

"Swear by the God thou fearest, and upon thine honor, that thou wilt
remain in this room until I leave the house! Swear it!" the priest
repeated, "ere I run thee through!"

No answer followed his command.

"Come. Swear it!" he repeated, pressing the rapier firmly against the
other's chest. The ominous silence fell upon the priest as strange. He
stooped to look into the face. The light was dim, and still lower he
bent. Suddenly the sword dropped from his hand, for the Jesuit saw by
the bulging eyes which stared into his that he had demanded an oath
from a corpse. Those long white fingers had pressed more firmly than
they knew; the man's windpipe was crushed like paper.

"My God!" the Jesuit whispered, kneeling beside the prostrate form,
horror of the deed falling upon him. "Of what have I been guilty?
This man's blood upon my head?" Terror-stricken, he looked about the
room. Again his eyes returned to the thing lying beside him. Was that
a movement of the distorted face? He gazed upon it in horrible
fascination. Slowly the lips of the dead man parted, the jaw dropped,
and it seemed as though a hideous smile lay upon the distorted visage.

"Ah!" cried Garnet, springing to his feet, "Even in death thou art the
victor, for I am shackled to thee. Never in this world can I escape
the recollection of thy countenance!"

The priest fell upon his knees, and raised his hands:

"God help me and forgive me for this deed!" he cried. "If I have
sinned, 'twas not to save this worthless life of mine; not that I
deemed it sweet to live, but that I might survive to consecrate or
yield that life in the furtherance of Thy holy work!"

He paused a moment in s