pain," replied he grimly, "there are many ways to overthrow a
tyrant; in England, as the Holy Father saith, 'twill need more
caution. Once upon a time the captain of a fighting vessel, fearing to
fall into the hands of those who would destroy his ship and put the
crew to torture, himself applied the fire to the magazine, it being
filled with powder, and ten score men perished in a twinkling."

His companions were startled, for the meaning of his words was clear
to them. As by a flash of light a way seemed to open which, if
followed, would lead to the fulfillment of their purpose. Catesby
leaned forward.

"But if it fail, friend Guido?" he whispered hoarsely. "What then?"

"Then!" cried Fawkes, turning to the Jesuit, "I will kill the
King,--if need be even without help! For what then would remain to
us?"

Garnet replied nothing. The words of the soldier of fortune startled
him. Instantly he saw the meaning of the plan which Fawkes had
formed;--a plan which, if once entered upon, would be carried out by
him with all the zeal of a fanatic. The fiendishness of it, while it
roused his admiration of the man's ingenuity, made him shudder; for
'twas not thus men struck in England.

"Come!" said he rising, "'tis close upon midnight, and the ride was
wearisome. Thy words have taken strong hold upon me, good Guido, and I
need a season of prayer and meditation to gain better understanding in
this matter. My cloak, therefore, that I may leave thee."

Obedient to his wishes the others hastened their preparations for
departure, and in silence Fawkes led them through the passage to the
door by which they had entered his dwelling.

CHAPTER XI.

THE WAY OF THE WORLD.

On hearing the sounds which indicated the departure of those in the
room beneath, Elinor arose from her cramped position and noiselessly
crept to the window. In the moonlit garden she could distinguish the
figures of four men going in the direction of the lane at the back of
the house. One she recognized as Sir Thomas Winter; the others were
unknown to her. But in a moment she heard her father's voice as he
uttered a warning to the horsemen: "Mind the ditch, Lord Percy! Sir
Catesby, keep well to the left!"

Then Fawkes closed the door, and she could hear his movements as he
went about extinguishing the lights. His footsteps sounded on the
stairs. If by chance he came into the chamber and found her awake and
up, what then? He would readily surmise how mu