, 1864-04-02
lou foundest lying senseless upon the

While he spoke, a noise was heard at the
entrance to the closters. 1t was speedily
followed by knocking at the door Of Ben
edict's apartment, from the exterior of which
an announcement was made that the sick
man had been deposited in the hospital.
Thither Father Benedict now hastened, with
all due dispatch, to exercise his Esculapian
skill, not forgetting to carry with him his
favorite sanitary elixir. Nor did the result
show that his estims i1sspf its virtues had
been oyer-highly rated for ere the vesper
bell had rung, his patient had so far rccov.
cred as to be abl, to comrlIin Of sense
Of sufiocation, which led him to request
that the easement Of the window might be
thrown open, to admit the fresh air. From
that time he rallied so fast that the monk,
deeming it unnecessary to attend upon him
longer, locked the door, and left him to com.
pose himself for the night
On leaving the apartment Of Father Ben.
edict, the Prior proceeded through the gar
dens of the monastery towards a private
door, by which he was in the habit Of gain
ing access to the apartment in which he
prosecuted his singular studies; but, finding
that the key was amissing, he was forced to
retrace his steps, and enter by thu principal
door, which opened upon the courtyard,
His hambeau being lighted, he sat himself
down in his vaulted chamber, the walls Of
which we're lined with shelves OF books and
ancient portraits Of eminent ecclesiastics
and warriors. Immediately opposite to him
hung two paintings, Of much more modern
date-the likcnesses of his two unfortunate
brothers, whom the miscreant Albany had
brought to the block on the 10th of October
Of the preceding year. Suddenly looking
upwards, his eye fell upon those frail relics,
which were now the sole memorials Of his
beloved kindred; and his heart beat quick,
and the tear dartcd to his eye, as he figured
to himself those once smiling countcnances,
now Fixed, with the heads Of traitors, upon
the batilements Of Edinburgh. He reflect
ed, tco, that the same sanguinary measures
would be doled out to himself, should fit
ting opportunity occur Of invcigling him
into their snares; and then, for the first
time, did he bestow serious thought upon
the warnings Of the stranger invalid, and
almost repented Of having allowed him to
be brought so near him. Still he did not
see, for the present, how any evil could ac-
crue to him from one apparently SO much
indisposed. He resolved, however, to have
him dismissed from the monastery as soon
as he should appear to have recovered sufh
cicnt strength to admit Of his being removed
lie continued to revolve these matters over
in his mind till the gloomy hour Of midnigh,
approached. Before retiring to his couch,
he thought Of trying that celebrated exper.
iment in the occult sciences by which it was
deemed pos iblc to determine the exact du.
r-t'tn of an individuals life; and he re-
solved that his own should be the subject
Of the experiment. He accordingly pro.
ceeded to arrange upon the table variety
Of glasses and instruments considered ne.
cessary to its successful performance, and
to describe numerous large circles upon some
sheets Of parchment that were spread out
before him.
Having concluded these preparatory ar.
rangements, he passed his hand across his
brow, and said aloud to himself
"Ishall now see hoy many years have yet
to revolye ere this head Of mine shall be
gathered together with those Of my loved
relatives who have gone before me-"
"Thou mayest cen spare thyself that
trouble, my lord Prior" said voice from
behind him. "All thy years have already
revolved, and few indeed are the sand-gnins
in thy glass that have yet to run out.
Knowing this, deemed It meet to come
and thank thee for the service thou hast
shown me during the term Of thy brief ex-
istence." i1
/ Ere these words had been repeated, the
Prior had started to the middle Of the floor,
and found them to proceed from the mendi-
cant, who had got admittance by the private
door, the Key Of which he had lost, and
upon whose face played a smile Of the most
diabolical import. On recovering somewhat
from the surprise into which so unexpected
visitor had thrown him, the Prior thus
broke forth:
: How, knavo, burst you venture 10 in.
trude yourself thus stealthily intomy private
apartment, and at such an hour" and, at
the same time, he hurried to the spot where
the man stood, in search Of his rapier. The
latter now burst out into fiendish laugh,
and throwing aside his cloak, and tossing
off the mendicant's cowl, with which his
face had been in great measure concealed,
he instantly discovered himself to be Hep.
burn, the chieftain Of Hailes, from whom
the Prior had so much to dread.
"What seekest thou, my lord Prior?
said he; "perchance thy rapier: here il is
II found il lying by thy side, and goodly
pics Of workmanship warrant it to be-
] shall restore it to thee presently; but, first
pray let me ask thee if thou knowest one
James Hepburn, who, but for thee, would
now have held the Priorate Of this Abbey
and whom thy traitor.brother, Lord Home
did 50 much to injure"
"Too well I've known you, base villain,
replied the Prior; and had my brother lived
you would, ere this, have been made to pay
the penalty Of your crimes. My kinsman
David Of Weddcrburn, may yet let thee fee
what it is TO insult Home"
"Then let me tell thee, HOme," said Hep
burn, brandishipg the rapier, and his eyes
sparkling with the fury Of demon, "fyt
sought thee long, by night and by day, il
the wilderness ard in the city; but could
nowhere. find thee out, to wreak my ven
geancc on thy head. l have, however, IL
the garb of Iieudicant feigning sickness