Part 28 (2/2)

My friend did not reply, in words; but he shook his head in a er fully

After giving our horses to our groo had withdrawn hilooe, black and terrible did see into a score of parts, and each part retaining, for an instant only, a pair of fiery eyes, as the light of our la all the darkness

Now, on this night my room seemed not the same Ever did I expect to see some spirit of evil arise before reat gloom had fallen on us both

Neither spoke for soth I said to Harleston:--

”No longer can I bear this life; to-morrow I leave this Palace forever,” mine own voice did seem to startle me; so hollow and unnatural did it sound

Then, as if the words I had said were to be turned into a prophecy, a knock ca, in walked Sir Jaret, Sir Walter Bradley, that I am compelled to ask you for your sword, and to tell thee that I now arrest thee”

”Upon what charge?”

”High treason, Sir Walter”

Harleston arose and grasped rip that could not be mistaken

”Tell not my dear Hazel of this; that is, not at present”

”Keep up thy courage,” he replied; ”thou shalt not die by the hand of an executioner I, thy friend, Harleston, have said it, and I never yet have told a lie”

I thanked him for his kind words with the pressure of my hand, and with a firm step marched from the room

In the hall I met Michael on his way to h he thought to attack the soldiers which surrounded reat luhty hand ”Go to Sir Frederick, in my room, and in future serve him as faithfully as in the past thou hast served h I tried to prevent hi Then he arose and walked slowly toward the door where Harleston stood

As I marched on I wiped two drops of moisture from the back of my hand

CHAPTER XXIV

IN THE TOWER

I was conducted into the Tower through the ”Traitor's Gate,” the which, when I passed through, added nothing unto azed at the enormous arches, the memory of past events when, as a boy, I had heard of those which had entered this ith the charge of treason clinging to their naain to be heard of by the outside world, came to my mind with a renewed freshness and a force never to be by rey head retains its wonted reason

But then, this was as nothing co weight of the conviction of hopelessness which settled on my heart when the door of my prison had been closed and locked, and I was left alone, but for hts, within my cruel room in that Tohich ru

When the keepers had departed, and the sound of their clanking steps had died out, I still stood in the centre of the room, benuradually absorbed bymind Then I moved, and mine arh a shi+eld had fallen frohted on a floor of stone I started, gasped, andhed at my foolishness; but the sound of mine own voice was so awful that I was as much startled as I had been by the sound of mine armour Then I stood still and held my breath and listened, for what I know not The stillness was so intense that it did seem to have a substance, and press into mine ears with such a force as did cause me to think that they were like to burst