616 THE SANCTUARY. 



heart with this (brandishing a dagger), and feast my eyes with your 

 dying throes ! but I will not : No had you kept your cross, such 

 might have been and now, on the gallows-tree, you will learn 

 something of what I felt when thy coward-gripe was on my throat ! 

 Ye can swear/' he continued, addressing his myrmidons, " that this 

 felon flung away his cross for the rest I will answer to the Mayor. 

 Look out the strongest arm of that ash aye, that will do : now 

 fasten this round his throat !" throwing a cord to the most powerful 

 of the accomplices. 



The conflict was short, and fearful, and desperate, even as might 

 be the strife when one was struggling for life, and numbers were 

 seeking to earn gold; but the many prevailed, and Halton gave a 

 short demoniacal laugh as the writhing body of his rival was sus- 

 pended from the tree. But scarcely had the ruffians secured the 

 gold that was flung among them, ere advancing footsteps were sud- 

 denly heard. 



Halton's quick eye caught the glimpse of men. They rushed on, 

 and a wild female shriek burst from the midst. The mariners struck 

 right and left, and the foremost springing upon the tree, the next mo- 

 ment Henri's swollen face was pressed to the hot, tearful cheek, of 

 her who loved him. 



The suspension had been, as it were, but momentary, but the 

 young man's perceptions were strangely deadened. He was con- 

 scious that he was hurried on by one whose arm was around his 

 waist, and whose moist burning cheek sustained his own throbbing 

 temples. He was conscious, too, that there was a parrying a 

 thrusting a sort of running fight ; but he was conscious of little else 

 until his feet were bathed in the cooling waves. It was then that 

 sensation really returned, and, in endeavouring to shake off the in- 

 cumbrance that kept him from joining in the strife, he heard a shriek 

 and a splash, and a sudden hush of the clashing weapons. His eyes 

 were opened, and he looked around ; he saw his bark and his 

 mariners, but he saw not Mary ! Was it she who had dropped in the 

 surge ? Before the thought could flash across his brain, one, whom 

 he knew to be Halton, flung down his weapon, and leaped into the 

 sea. This brought conviction, and with a shout of agony he sprung 

 in also. 



But the dreadful excitement overpowered his gathering senses ; 

 unconsciously he was borne by his faithful mariners to his bark, and 

 alone the Breton merchant departed from England. 



The spot is still pointed out where the greedy waves swallowed 

 the devoted girl, and there is a rocky point from which it is said the 

 Mayor's son leaped when he sought an ocean-grave ! 



