I beg you out of the love I bear Your Grace, pause before you bring these traitorous spies into your sacred presence." "Bring them before me!" cried the duke.

"We will determine this matter for ourselves.

We have a score of brave, well-paid Italians who may be able to protect our person from the onslaught of two manacled men." * * * * * On this same morning the guard had been to my cell with bread and water, and had departed.

I did not know, of course, whether it was morning, noon, or night, but I had learned to measure with some degree of accuracy the lapse of time between the visits of the guard, and was surprised to hear the rusty lock turn long before the time for his reappearance.

When the man entered my cell, bearing his lantern, he said:-- "Come with me." The words were both welcome and terrible.