ree days' time Richard Grenville would be but dust and
ashes, and that fearless and generous spirit of his would have returned
to the God who gave it.

Even so, he had played for a desperate stake and won, but the victory
was to be paid for with his life; a light price, it seemed to him, in
return for the practical destruction of the Mormon town and the perfect
future security of his own friends.

Grenville tried to engage the guard in conversation, but the surly brute
began to whistle a tune instead of replying. Our hero then laid himself
down on the rocky floor, and worn out with fatigue, and still weak from
the effects of the blow he had received, slept soundly, until he was
aroused by the entrance of the guard in the morning, with breakfast for
him, which, it need hardly be said, was most acceptable.

The door was left open whilst Grenville ate, and the guard, who had been
relieved by an officer, supported by two subordinates, seemed to be
quite a different class of man from the surly warrior of the previous
night. The new sentinel, in fact, commenced to chaff Grenville while he
ate, saying that he was surprised that a man of his ability, who had
killed so many people, should have allowed himself to be floored with a
stone; but our friend laughingly responded that he never was remarkable
for being thick-headed.

He then asked the officer when and how he was to depart this life.

"Oh!" said the other, "don't be in a hurry, we've hardly begun to like
you yet."

And in this manner he fenced with all the questions put to him.

"And now," said the Mormon, when Grenville had finished eating, "I am
commissioned to place these irons upon your hands and feet if you choose
to be at liberty in the Square here; but you are to have the option of
staying in this black hole of a prison if you prefer it."

Grenville gladly accepted the alternative of being fettered, thinking he
might as well see as much of the sun as he could while he had the
chance.

The day passed quietly enough; he was well fed and carefully guarded,
but the men round him seemed decent people, and not at all of the
bullying type.

Just about tea-time, as Grenville was sitting listlessly thinking, the
dull boom of a distant explosion broke upon his ear. The guards stood
still, gazed inquiringly at one another, and at that moment another
smothered report followed.

Seeing Grenville smile, one of the men turned to him quickly, and asked
him what th