Ere he spoke, he carefully closed and secured the door, and exclaimed, in a low, cautious tone, "My child, this is indeed the finger of a righteous God--blessed be His name! The unhappy man to whose dying bed they brought me--" "Is the murderer of my husband!" interposed Marie in a tone of almost unnatural calmness.

"I knew it from the first moment Perez spoke.

We have but to think of one thing now--Stanley is innocent, and must be saved!" "And shall be, if possible, my child; but there are fearful difficulties in the way.

The unhappy man conjures me not to leave him, and is in such a horrible state of mental and bodily agony that I fear if I do, he will commit some act of violence on himself, and so render his evidence of no avail.

We are not much above sixty miles from Segovia, but the roads are cross and rugged; so that it will need steadiness and speed, and instant audience with the King." "But time--have we time ?" reiterated Marie.