ld only get
upon his knees, was swept and hurled from side to side, but still he
grasped the staff with vice-like power to his breast. Even in that
fearful moment the idea, which had already occurred to him, of humouring
his antagonist gained force. He suddenly loosed his hold. Zeppa
staggered backward, recovered himself, sprang forward, and aimed a
fearful blow at his adversary, who suddenly fell flat down. The staff
passed harmlessly over him and was shattered to pieces on the side of
the cave.

"Ha! ha!" laughed the pirate lightly, as he sat up again, "you see,
Zeppa, that Providence is against you. How else could I, a helpless
cripple, have held my own against you? And see, the very weapon you
meant to use is broken to pieces. Come now, delay this execution for a
little, and let us talk together about this death which you think is
due. There is much to be said about death, you know, and I should like
to get to understand it better before I experience it."

"There is reason in that, Rosco," said Zeppa, sitting down on the ground
by the side of the pirate, and leaning his back against the rock. "You
have much need to consider death, for after death comes the judgment,
and none of us can escape _that_."

"True, Zeppa, and I should not like to face that just now, for I am not
fit to die, although, as you truly say, I deserve death. I have no
hesitation in admitting that," returned the pirate, with some
bitterness; "I deserve to die, body and soul, and, after all, I don't
see why I should seek so earnestly to delay the righteous doom."

"Right, Rosco, right; you talk sense now, the doom is well deserved.
Why, then, try to prevent me any longer from inflicting it when you know
it is my duty to do so?"

"Because," continued the pirate, who felt that to maintain the conflict
even with words was too much for his exhausted strength, "because I have
heard that God is merciful."

"Merciful!" echoed Zeppa. "Of course He is. Have you not heard that
His mercy is so great that He has provided a way of escape for sinners--
through faith in His own dear Son?"

"It does not, however, seem to be a way of escape for _me_," said the
pirate, letting himself sink back on his couch with a weary sigh.

"Yes, it is! yes, it is!" exclaimed Zeppa eagerly, as he got upon the
familiar theme; "the offer is to the chief of sinners, `Whosoever will,'
`Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die?'"

"Tell me about it" said Rosco fain