below the level of
the soil--a table set handsomely with four lighted candles in tall
sticks, and furnished besides with a silver inkhorn, pens, and paper.
Beside the table stood a couple of chairs and a stool. Doubtless there
was other furniture in the room, but in his astonishment he saw only
these.

He uttered an exclamation, and descended the steps. "Flavia!" he cried.
"Flavia!" He did not see her, and he moved a pace towards that part of
the room which the door hid from him.

Crash! The door fell to, dragged by an unseen hand. Colonel John sprang
towards it; but too late. He heard the grating of a rusty key turned in
the lock; he heard through one of the loopholes the sound of an inhuman
laugh; and he knew that he was a prisoner. In that moment the cold air
of the vault struck a chill to his bones; but it struck not so cold nor
so death-like as the knowledge struck to his heart that Flavia had
duped him. Yes, on the instant, before the crash of the closing door
had ceased to echo in the stone vaulting above him, he knew that, he
felt that! She had tricked him. She had deceived him. He let his chin
sink on his breast. Oh, the pity of it!

CHAPTER XIX

PEINE FORTE ET DURE

For many minutes, fifteen, twenty perhaps, Colonel John sat motionless
in the chair into which he had sunk, his eyes fixed on the flames of
the candles that, so still was the night, burned steadily upwards. His
unwinking gaze created about each tongue of flame strange effects of
vapour, halo-like circles that widened and again contracted, colours
that came and went. But he saw these things with his eyes without
seeing them with his mind. It was not of them, it was not of the
death-cold room about him, in which the table and chairs formed a
lighted oasis out of character with the earthen floor, the rough walls,
and the vaulted roof--it was not of anything within sight he was
thinking; but of Flavia!

Of Flavia, who had deceived him, duped him, cajoled him. Who, for all
he knew--and he thought it likely--had got rid of Uncle Ulick. Who had
certainly got rid of Bale by playing on his feeling for the man. Who,
by affecting a quarrel with her brother, had thrown him off his guard,
and won his confidence, only to betray it. Who, having lured him
thither, had laughed--had laughed! Deep sighs broke at long intervals
from Colonel John's breast as he thought of her treachery. It cut him
to the heart. He looked years older as he sat and ponder