Thirty years have sped, and still the hand of the avenger has not fallen upon my father.

It should have fallen a month ago; but I was weak; I hesitated; and then this sword-thrust put me out of all case of doing what I had crossed from France to do." She looked at him with something of horror in her face.

"Were you--were you to have been the instrument ?" she inquired.

"Were you to have avenged this thing upon your own father ?" He nodded slowly.

"'Twas to that end that I was reared," he answered, and put aside his pipe, which had gone out.