condemning the Comte de la Seine to die, and then the formula: "By
the King. Given at our Court at Windsor--Henry R."

He went on slowly along the corridor till he had passed beyond the
King's private apartments, and, as if drawn by some attraction, made his
way in the direction of the chamber where Francis was lying suffering
from his wound.

"Bad, bad, bad," he muttered to himself. "I must be right, and Francis
was ill-advised, if advised at all, and not led by his own impetuous
nature to play such a trick as this. Well, he gambled with his life,
and he has lost. What is it to me? I have my duty to perform. But I
would give something now for the instinct of the prophet, to be able to
see what this will mean in the future to France and to my own country
when it is known."

He walked on dreamily, and then started, for he found that he had
unconsciously drawn near to Francis's chamber, and he hesitated, half
disposed to go in and see how he fared; but he frowned and went on.

"No," he said, "I have my own head to think of, and my movements may be
misconstrued by the most jealous man that ever sat upon a throne."

He was passing slowly on in the gloomiest part by the door, when he
started, for some one had silently glided out of the opening and plucked
him by the sleeve.

"My lord," whispered a voice.

"Ah!" exclaimed Hurst. "You are the doctor, the Comte's follower with
the strange eye. What of your master? How is he now?"

"Bad," said Leoni softly.

"So much the better," said Hurst bitterly. "Insensible?"

"At times, my lord."

"Better still."

"You speak strangely, my lord."

"These are strange times, my man. I spoke so out of sympathy with your
master. It may save him further pain."

"Further pain?" said Leoni, earning the chamberlain's term of the man
"with the strange eye" by the peculiarly fixed look which was dimly
seen.

"Yes, further pain. People who are insensible do not suffer, do they,
doctor?"

"No, my lord; but what do you mean?"

"What is the meed of a thief who robs a king? Is it not death?" cried
Hurst fiercely; and as he spoke he stretched out one hand and tapped it
sharply with the folded warrant that he held.

"Hah!" ejaculated Leoni harshly, and then almost as fiercely as the
chamberlain he whispered, "Would he dare to raise his hand against the
ambassador of France?"

"No, sir," said the chamberlain coldly, "but against the thief of the
night, who abused his