hat no pains should be spared to make him do this.

Alone in the dark, dank, icy-cold dungeon, St. George lay in his heavy
chains, and wondered what was going to happen next. It was very
horrible, down there, and he ached in every limb, and he was very
hungry; but somehow he felt kind of glad inside, because he knew he was
suffering all this for Christ's sake.

One day, when his gaoler brought him his ration of hard bread, he told
him that he had heard a rumour that the executioner was coming to the
dungeon, and that if St. George did not give a satisfactory answer he
would be put to torture. The gaoler said it would, he thought, be a very
painful kind of torture, and St. George had better be reasonable.

When he had gone St. George sat in the darkness with his heart beating
rather fast. He wondered what sort of torture it would be, and if he
would be able to stick it. Then he remembered that Our Lord had suffered
awful tortures, and had foretold that His friends would have to, as
well. So he asked Our Lord to give him grace to be able to stick
_anything_ the Emperor should do, and then he felt quite happy again.

Well, the hours dragged by, and at last St. George heard the tramp of
feet on the stone stairs. Then there was a creak as the great key was
turned in the lock, and bolts were shot back. The door opened, and there
stood the executioner and two soldiers, one carrying a lantern.

The executioner, who had known St. George as a Colonel in the army,
spoke respectfully. He gave St. George a message from the Emperor,
saying that if he would come back and offer incense to the gods, and
apologize for his proud words, he would get his liberty and be given
back his commission. St. George laughed, and said he certainly wouldn't.
Then the executioner said that in that case the Emperor had commanded
that he should be tortured till he agreed to do all he was told.

The soldiers loosened his chains, and he was led out and up the stairs.
The blazing, blinding sun dazzled his eyes after the dimness of the
dungeon. The pavement of the courtyard seemed burning to his cold, bare
feet. Soldiers looked curiously at him as he passed, but of course
didn't salute, now. He was taken away to the horrible place of
execution, and there a new form of torture was applied to him--a great
wheel full of spikes into which he was thrust. When he was dragged out
his body was one mass of wounds, and his blood dripped down on to the
floor. He wa