zed the furious animal
by the throat, with the intention of forcing it back. The dog's teeth
let go the gown, but, though a wild howl came from his powerful throat
and his eyes turned with a furious glare upon the bold intruder, he
succeeded in laying his heavy forepaws on the cord that answered for a
girdle, and with such violence that the muffled figure staggered and
fell upon the floor. The animal at once laid one of his paws upon the
prostrate figure, and, with a loud bark of triumph and violently
lashing his tail back and forth, stood by the side of his prey, with an
aspect so horrible that even Jansen recoiled from him.

True, it was not this sudden outbreak of fury in his old companion that
made him stagger back and stare in horror at the prostrate figure. In
her confusion and alarm the stranger had let her cowl fall back, her
white beard drop off, and for a few seconds they saw a woman's pale
face looking out from the disguise long enough for it to be recognized
by Jansen and the young Greek at his side.

"Are you crazy?" cried the latter, excited still more by the sudden
discovery. "Why do you stand there like a statue? Drag off this mad
beast before an accident happens, or by all the devils--"

Jansen did not move. His face was ashy pale; they could see his teeth
clinched tightly behind his parted lips. All around was breathless
stillness, broken only by the heavy breathing of the dog.

"Then we must help ourselves as best we can!" cried Stephanopulos. "To
hell with this devil's brute!"

Quick as a flash he unsheathed a long dagger that was stuck in his
belt, and before any one could interfere he had driven the sharp steel
down the wide-opened throat of the old animal.

A frightful howl, stifled the next moment by a stream of blood, and
then the powerful animal fell back, and, with a dull rattling in the
throat, dropped dead beside the woman in the cowl.

CHAPTER VII.

All this time the two lovers outside in the garden, absorbed in their
happiness, and covered warm with Felix's broad Spanish cloak, had heard
nothing of the gathering storm within-doors, and had not noticed that
the clouds had begun to dissolve in a fine rain. But in a little while
the wind began to rise, shaking the soft snow from the branches, and
driving the cold drops of rain into their faces.

Even then Irene expressed no desire to be taken back into the house.
She would have liked to wander b