d by the wily
priest for his own fraudulent imposture. He then loosened his grasp, and
placed the real instrument in the hands of the baron.

"'Tis a forgery--- a base disposal of my rights," roared out the
infuriate and detected hypocrite.

But Roger de Lacy immediately saw that the deed was to a similar purport
with the copy which had been sent by some unknown hand, immediately on
the death of the testator, to Halton Castle.

With a look of devouring and terrible indignation he cried out--

"Though thou wert the holy pontiff himself, and all the terrors of the
Church were at thy command, thou shouldst not escape my vengeance, thou
daring priest! To the Furca!--his offence is repugnant to my
nostrils--'tis rank with treason!"

"Hold!" cried the mysterious hermit; "I have promised him protection,
nor shall the promise be foregone."

"Thou!" cried the warrior, with unfeigned astonishment; "and who art
thou that seemest here the arbiter of destiny, whether good or evil?"

"A sinful but heaven-destined man," replied the hermit, meekly.

"Our vengeance slumbereth not," said the chief; "the sentence is gone
forth, and he dies ere sunset."

"Not so," replied the hermit, again assuming the attitude of command.

"By the beard of Hugh Lupus, he dieth."

"He doth, but not by thy decree."

"How! methinks the fever of disloyalty hath seized you all: the
infection hath so tainted your nature that a skilful leech, whom I
employ in cases of emergency, will be of service--my headsman, or
hangman, as shall seem most fitting. He dies, I tell thee, though the
saints themselves were interceding."

"I have promised," said the hermit again, with the confidence of
careless superiority.

Adam de Dutton, who had hitherto been waiting anxiously for an
opportunity to communicate with his lord, now whispered something in his
ear.

"How!" said the bewildered chieftain; "'tis said thou wearest the badge
of our house, and art thyself under some surreptitious disguise."

"I wear no disguise," returned the hermit calmly; "what thou seest is my
badge, and will be, Heaven permitting, until I die."

"Who art thou?"

"A sinful mortal like thyself; but worn down with long vigils and
maceration. Lord of as wide inheritance as thou, and yet a tenant only
in a narrow cell!"

"Thou speakest riddles;--thy meaning?"

"I was an outcast, though heir to a vast heritage. I vowed that if He,
whose prerogative it is, would cleanse me from my s