“Of coorse he dis, and be aboot the hoose inside a month; that's the gude o' bein' a cleanbluided, weel-livin

“Preserve ye, man, what's wrang wi' ye? it's a mercy a' keppit ye, or we wud hed anither job for Sir George.

“Ye're a' richt noo; sit doon on the strae. A'll come back in a whilie, an' ye’ill see Annie juist for a meenut, but ye mauna say a word.”

Marget took him and let him kneel by Annie's bedside.

He said nothing then or afterward, for speech came only once in his life-time to Tammas, but Annie whispered: “Ma ain dear man.”

When the doctor placed the precious bag of instruments beside Sir George next morning, he laid a check beside it and was about to leave.

“No, no," said the great man. “Mrs. MacFayden and I were on the gossip last night, and I know the whole story about you and your friend. You have some right to call me a coward, but I'll never let you count me a mean, miserly rascal,” and the check with Drumsheugh's painful writing fell in fifty pieces on the floor.

“Gentlemen! The King !”

ROBERT BARR. Abridged by permission of the author. THE room was large, but with a low ceiling, and at one end of the apartment stood a gigantic fireplace, in which was heaped a pile of blazing logs, whose light illuminated the faces of the twenty men who sat within.

The night was a stormy and tempestuous one, the rain lashing wildly against the windows.

The hunting-chalet stood in a wilderness, near the confines of the kingdom of Alluria, twelve leagues from the capital, and was the property of Count Staumn, whose tall, gaunt form stood erect at the head of the table as he silently listened to the discussion which every moment was becoming more and more heated.

“ I tell you," thundered Baron Brunfels, bringing his huge fist down on the table, “ I will not have the king killed. Such a proposal goes beyond what was intended when we banded ourselves together. The king is a fool, so let him escape like a fool. I am a conspirator, but not an assassin.”

"It is not assassination, but justice," said the ex-chancellor, suavely.

" Justice !” cried the baron. “You have learned that cant word in the cabinet of the king

himself, before he thrust you out. He eternally prates of justice; yet, much as I loathe him, I have no wish to compass his death, either directly or through gabbling of justice.”

“If the king escapes he will take up his abode in a neighboring territory, and there will inevitably follow plots and counter-plots for his restoration; thus Alluria will be kept in a constant state of turmoil. There will doubtless grow up within the kingdom itself a party sworn to his restoration. We shall thus be involved in difficulties at home and abroad, and all for what? Merely to save the life of a man who is an enemy to each of us. We place thousands of lives in jeopardy; render our own positions insecure; bring continual disquiet upon the state; when all might be avoided by the slitting of one throat, even though that throat belong to the king."

“Argument,” said Count Staumn, “is ever the enemy of good comradeship. Let us settle the point at once, and finally, with the dice-box. Let us throw for the life of the king. I, as chairman of this meeting, will be umpire. Single throws, and the highest number wins. Baron Brunfels, you will act for the king, and if you win may bestow upon the monarch his life. Exchancellor Steinmetz stands for the state. If he wins, then is the king's life a forfeit. Gentlemen, are you agreed ? "

“Agreed, agreed,” cried the conspirators, with practically unanimous voice.

The ex-chancellor took the dice-box in his hand, and was about to shake, when there sud. denly came upon them three stout raps against the door, given apparently with the hilt of a sword. Many not already standing started to their feet, and nearly all looked one upon another with deep dismay in their glances. The full company of conspirators were present; exactly a score of men knew of the rendezvous, and now the twenty-first man outside was beating the oaken panels. The knocking was repeated, but now accompanied by the words:

“ Open, I beg of you."

Count Staumn left the table, and stealthily as a cat approached the door.

“Who is there?” he asked.

“A wayfarer, weary and wet, who seeks shelter from the storm.”

“My house is already filled," spoke up the count. “ I have no room for another.”

“Open the door peacefully,” cried the outlander, “and do not put me to the necessity of forcing it.”

There was a ring of decision in the voice which sent quick pallor to more than one cheek. Ex. chancellor Steinmetz rose to his feet with terror in his eyes and chattering teeth; he seemed to recognize the invisible speaker. Count Staumn

looked over his shoulder at the assemblage with an expression that plainly said, “What am I to do ?”

“Open, count, and let the insistent stranger in. Whether he leave the place alive or no, there are twenty men here to answer.”

The count undid the fastenings, and through the open door, there entered a tall man, com. pletely enveloped in a dark cloak that was dripping wet. Drawn over his eyes was a hunter's hat of felt, with a drooping, bedraggled feather on it. The door was immediately barred behind him, and the stranger flung off his cloak, throwing it over the back of a chair; then he removed his hat with a sweep, sending the rain drops flying. The intrigants gazed at him speechless, with varying emotions. They saw before them His Majesty, Rudolph, King of Alluria.

If the king had any suspicion of his danger, he gave no token of it. His frank, clear, honest eyes swept the company, resting momentarily on each ; then he said in a firm voice, without the suspicion of a tremor in it:

“ My Lord of Brunfels, I see that I have interrupted you at your old pleasure of dicing. While requesting to continue your game as though I had not joined you, may I venture to hope the stakes you play for are not high ?".

Every one held his breath, awaiting with deepest concern the reply of the frowning baron;