hman, Raynor returned the dagger to its sheath and went to
work on his sword blade.

Never in all the years of his life had the stern Aldam been so crossed
and flouted as within this last hour. Speechless with rage, with
clenched hands and heaving breast, he paced the dais. And the monks in
fresh terror huddled closer together, and told their beads anew and
muttered prayer on prayer. Verily, was it a gloomy day for the
Cistercians of Kirkstall Abbey; and one sadly unpropitious to those lay
brothers whose initiatory rites had been so rudely interrupted.

Presently the Abbot's face grew calmer and he began to prolong
gradually his steps toward the rear of the platform, where the wall
stones were very large and stood out rough and bare. There he would
pause and lean against them as though for rest, his head bent slightly
forward, his eyes closed--a figure of dejection deep and heavy. Yet it
might have been noticed that he always rested at the same place, and
could eyes have pierced his white robe, they would have seen his
slender fingers playing with careful pressure over the wall beside him.

At length it happened--when the soldiers had grown accustomed to his
pacings and had ceased to watch him, and while Raynor Royk was busy
with his sword work, his head bent low--that Aldam halted at the wall
and leaned against it in his usual way; and as he did so the huge stone
he touched swung back noiselessly, he glided swiftly through the
opening and the stone closed back into its place.

An excited exclamation by the Prior caused Raynor Royk to look up.
Instantly he missed the Abbot. With a shout he sprang over and seized
the Chancellor, who happened to be nearest.

"The Abbot? The Abbot?" he demanded fiercely.

"I know not," the monk stammered, staring about. "I saw him last by
yonder wall."

The old soldier loosed him straightway and turned upon the Prior.

"Speak," he thundered, "where is the Abbot?"

Father James stepped forward. "He went through the wall," he said.

"What! thou shaveling! Do you take me for a superstitious fool?
Through yonder stones! Think you I believe such nonsense?"

"That you believe or disbelieve concerns me not at all," the Prior
answered. "Nathless, through that wall he went, for with my own eyes I
saw a part of it roll back and him pass in."

Raynor crossed to the spot in a single bound and fell to pounding with
his sword hilt. But only a monotonously dull sound answered to