lla, trembling in every limb, shrank silently away in the
shadows as her father approached, the sight of his grim, stern face
and the cruel-looking weapon in his hands bringing quick thrills of
pain and pity to her gentle heart. Petronella was a very tender
floweret to have been reared amidst so much hardness and sorrow. It
was wonderful that she had lived through the helpless years of
infancy (her mother had died ere she had completed her second year)
with such a father over her, or that having so lived she had
preserved the sweetness and clinging softness of temperament which
gave to her such a strange charm--at least in the opinion of one.
Doubtless she owed much of her well being to the kindly care of an
old deaf and dumb woman, the only servant in that lonely old house,
who had entered it to nurse the children's mother through her last
illness, and had stayed on almost as a matter of course, receiving
no wage for her untiring service, but only the coarse victuals that
all shared alike, and such scanty clothing as was absolutely
indispensable.

To this old crone Petronella fled with white face and tearful eyes,
as the sound of those terrible blows smote upon her ears with the
whistling noise that well betrayed the force with which they were
dealt. She quickly made the faithful old creature aware of what was
going on, and her sympathy was readily aroused on behalf of the
sufferer. The dumb request for food was also understood and
complied with. No doubt there had been times before when the girl
had crept with bread and meat in her apron to the solitary captive,
who was shut up alone without food till he should come to a better
mind.

Of Cuthbert's intended flight she made no attempted revelation. She
must act now, and explain later, if she could ever make the old
woman understand, that her brother had fled, and had not been done
to death by his hard-hearted father.

Supper was over. It had been at the close of that meal that the
explosion had taken place. She would not be called upon to meet her
father again that day. Fleeing up the broken stone staircase just
as his feet were heard returning from the vaulted room, she heard
him bang to the door of the living room before she dared to steal
into the little bare chamber where her brother slept, and where all
his worldly possessions were stored.

The old Gate House was a strange habitation. Formerly merely the
gateway to the Castle, which had once reared its proud