e from
my purpose? Never."

Scarcely was the word spoken when a loud and awful explosion shook the
building to its foundations. Horror and consternation were seen upon
the hitherto composed features of the beggar. He grasped his crutch,
and with a yell of unutterable anguish he cried, "Ruined--betrayed!
May the fiends follow ye for this mischance!"

He threw himself almost headlong down the steps, and ran with rapid
strides through the yard, followed by Nicholas, who seemed in a stupor
of astonishment at these mysterious events.

Passing round to the other side of the house, he saw a smoke rising in
a dense unbroken column from an outbuilding beyond the moat, towards
which Noman was speedily advancing. Suddenly he slackened his pace. He
paused, seemingly undecided whither to proceed. He then turned sharply
round and made his way into the kitchen, passing up a staircase into
the haunted chamber, still followed by Nicholas Haworth, and not a few
who were lookers-on, hoping to ascertain the cause of this alarm.

To their great surprise the beggar hastily displaced some lumber, and,
raising a trap-door, quickly disappeared down a flight of steps. With
little hesitation the master followed, and keeping the footsteps of
his leader within hearing, he cautiously went forward, convinced that
in some way or another this opportune but inexplicable event would
lead to the discovery of his sister.

Suddenly he heard a shriek. He felt certain it was the voice of Alice.
He rushed on; but some unseen barrier opposed his progress. He heard
noises and hasty footsteps beyond, evidently in hurry and confusion.
The door was immediately opened, and he beheld Noman bearing out the
half-lifeless form of Alice. Smoke, and even flame, followed hard upon
their flight; but she was conveyed upwards to a place of safety.

"There," said the mendicant, when he had laid down his burden, "at the
peril of all I possess, and of life too, I have rescued her. My hopes
are gone--my schemes for ever blasted--and I am a ruined, wretched old
man, without a home or a morsel of bread."

He walked out through the porch, Nicholas being too busily engaged in
attending to the restoration of Alice to heed his escape. Two other
men, strangers, had before emerged from the avenue. In the confusion
of the moment their flight was effected, and they were seen no more.

When Alice was sufficiently recovered, Nicholas, to his utter surprise
and dismay, learned that s