u are about to do.
Heaven could let no good come of it, and the day will dawn when you
will rue the committal of a crime."

"Hurst!" exclaimed the King angrily; but the chamberlain dropped on one
knee.

"Your Majesty, let me plead for this stranger who came to your Court--"

"As a thief."

"No, Sire; as a patriot who had determined to obtain the jewel which in
the old time belonged to his ancestors' crown."

"That is naught," said Henry. "This man shall die." And he raised the
pen once more.

"You who are so great a king, Sire, should be magnanimous here. This
night, Sire, is your own, to do good or ill; but it will be the darkest
of your reign if that warrant is signed."

"But why do you intercede?" asked Henry, and he threw himself back in
his chair. "Francis is nothing to you."

"The life of a noble prince, Sire, is much to all the world, and--"

"You know him?" interrupted the King sharply.

"Last year in Paris, Sire, he befriended my brother, who could speak
nothing of him but good; and I have not told you, Sire, that he is very
ill."

"Bah!" cried the King.

"Deadly sick from his wound, Sire."

"His wound!" said the King, starting.

"Yes, Sire. In the daring escape, when two of the guards and Sir Robert
Garstang were wounded, the Comte was struck down by one of your brave
halberdiers."

"And serve the villain right," cried the King impetuously. "Brave
fellow! has he been rewarded?"

"No, Sire. That is left for your Majesty to do."

"And it shall be done, on my royal word," cried the King. "Wounded and
sick, say you?"

"Yes, Sire; I have seen him, and he is very weak."

"Well," said the King, "you have done your part in your appeal. But I
have made up my mind to this." And as he spoke the King drew himself up
in his chair once more and seized his pen.

Hurst watched as if fascinated, seeing the King commence to write, and
then toss the pen aside as he finished, while afterwards he was about to
summon the officer of the guards without, but checked himself, extending
his hand to Hurst, who bent over it.

"I will not doubt you," he said, handing him the warrant. "Deliver it
to the governor." And then with a wave of the hand he dismissed the
chamberlain, who withdrew.

Outside the chamber, Hurst proceeded a short distance down a corridor,
and then gazed at the document by the light of a swinging lamp.

"The death warrant of the King of France," he mused, as he noted the
words