Part 55 (2/2)

There was a tap at the door and Sir John's own body servant entered with the announceently to see him

”She will be iroaned ”My God! How am I to tell her? To crush her in the very hour of her deliverance with such news as this! Was ever irony so cruel?”

He turned, and stepped heavily to the door There he paused ”You will reatively

Master Tobias bowed ”Of course, Sir John” And he added, ”'Twill not be long”

Sir John looked across at Lionel again--a glance of valediction ”God rest him!” he said hoarsely, and passed out

In the waist he paused aseamen, and bade theade Oliver Tressilian from his prison Then with slow heavy step and heavier heart he went up the companion to the vessel's castellated poop

The sun, new risen in a faint golden haze, shone over a sea faintly rippled by the fresh clean winds of dawn to which their every stitch of canvas was now spread Away on the larboard quarter, a faint cloudy outline, was the coast of Spain

Sir John's long sallow face was preternaturally grave when he entered the cabin, where Rosarave courtesy, doffing his hat and casting it upon a chair The last five years had brought some strands of white into his thick black hair, and at the te hie to which the deep lines in his brow contributed

He advanced towards her, as she rose to receive hiently, and took both her hands He looked with eyes of sorrow and concern into her white, agitated face

”Are you sufficiently rested, child?”

”Rested?” she echoed on a note of wonder that he should suppose it

”Poor laht have done, and drew her towards hi auburn head ”We'll speed us back to England with every stitch of canvas spread Take heart then, and”

But she broke in i away fro of the thing she was about to inquire

”I overheard a sailor just now saying to another that it is your intent to hang Sir Oliver Tressilian out of hand--this ”

He misunderstood her utterly ”Be coeance sure The yard-ared already with the rope on which he shall leap to his eternal punishht her breath, and set a hand upon her bosorounds,” she asked hi hirounds?” he faltered He stared and frowned, bewildered by her question and its tone ”Upon what grounds?” he repeated, foolishly almost in the intensity of his amazement Then he considered her more closely, and the wildness of her eyes bore to him slowly an explanation of words that at first had see

”I see!” he said in a voice of infinite pity; for the conviction to which he had leapt was that her poor ere all astray after the horrors through which she had lately travelled ”You ht to such matters as these Leave thee you as is due”

”Sir John, you e rounds you intend to do this thing, and you have not answereda, then

She was quite sane and mistress of her wits And yet instead of the fond inquiries concerning Lionel which he had been dreading ca his prisoner

”Need I state to you--of all living folk--the offences which that dastard has co thus the very question that he was setting hiht you constitute yourself his judge and executioner; by what right you send him to his death in this peremptory fashi+on, without trial” Her manner was as stern as if she were invested with all the authority of a judge