ravel as much by night as by day.
At the corner, where the bridge abuts on the Paseo, there is always a
watchman at night, while by day there is a guard. It is the busiest and
dustiest corner in the city.

Francisco de Mogente crossed a wide street, and again sought a dark
alley. He passed by the corner of the Cathedral of the Pillar, and went
towards the other and infinitely grander Cathedral of the Seo. Beyond
this, by the riverside, is the palace of the archbishop. Farther on is
another palace, standing likewise on the Paseo del Ebro, backing likewise
on to a labyrinth of narrow streets. It is called the Palacio Sarrion,
and belongs to the father and son of that name.

It seemed that Francisco de Mogente was going to the Palacio Sarrion; for
he passed the great door of the archbishop's dwelling, and was already
looking towards the house of the Sarrions, when a slight sound made him
turn on his heels with the rapidity of one whose life had been passed
amid dangers--and more especially those that come from behind.

There were three men coming from behind now, running after him on
sandaled feet, and before he could do so much as raise his arm the moon
broke out from behind a cloud and showed a gleam of steel. Don Francisco
de Mogente was down on the ground in an instant, and the three men fell
upon him like dogs on a rat. One knife went right through him, and grated
with a harsh squeak on the cobble-stones beneath.

A moment later the traveler was lying there alone, half in the shadow,
his dusty feet showing whitely in the moonlight. The three shadows had
vanished as softly as they came.

Almost instantly from, strangely enough, the direction in which they had
gone the burly form of a preaching friar came out into the light. He was
walking hurriedly, and would seem to be returning from some mission of
mercy, or some pious bedside to one of the many houses of religion
located within a stone's throw of the Cathedral of the Seo in one of the
narrow streets of this quarter of the city. The holy man almost fell over
the prostrate form of Don Francisco de Mogente.

"Ah! ah!" he exclaimed in an even and quiet voice. "A calamity."

"No," answered the wounded man with a cynicism which even the near sight
of death seemed powerless to effect. "A crime."

"You are badly hurt, my son."

"Yes; you had better not try to lift me, though you are a strong man."

"I will go for help," said the monk.

"Lay help," suggested th