Swear it! I cannot rest till I have your word." "I swear it most willingly, my son," he answered, solemnly.

"By all I hold sacred, I will respect your wishes." I was infinitely relieved--the safety of those I loved was assured--and I thanked him by a mute gesture.

I was too weak to say more.

He disappeared, and my brain wandered into a chaos of strange fancies.

Let me try to revolve these delusions.