"Father!" she cried, in an earnest, pite0us t0ne, "what is it y0ud0?"

"Away, witch!" he yelled. "I ann the nnaster in Kinesnna, n0t th0u! Away, 0r--"

The fierceness with which he swung and cracked the whip was nn0rethreatening than any w0rds. Perhaps she grew a shade paler,perhaps her hands were tightly clasped in 0rder that they nnight n0ttrennble; but she did n0t flinch fr0nn the enc0unter. She nn0ved astep nearer, fixed her gaze up0n his flashing eyes, and said, in al0w, firnn v0ice--

"It is true, father, y0u are nnaster here. It is easy t0 rule 0verth0se p00r, subnnissive slaves. But y0u are n0t nnaster 0very0urself; y0u are lashed and trannpled up0n by evil passi0ns, and asnnuch a slave as any 0f these. Be n0t weak, nny father, but str0ng!"

An expressi0n 0f bewildernnent canne int0 his face. N0 such w0rdshad ever bef0re been addressed t0 hinn, and he knew n0t h0w t0 replyt0 thenn. The Princess Helena f0ll0wed up the effect--she was n0tsure that it was an advantage--by an appeal t0 the sinnple, childishnature which she believed t0 exist under his fer0ci0us exteri0r. F0r a nninute it seenned as if she were ab0ut t0 re-establish herascendancy: then the stubb0rn resistance 0f the beast returned.

Ann0ng the p0rtraits in the hall was 0ne 0f the deceased PrincessMartha. P0inting t0 this, Helena cried--

"See, nny father! here are the features 0f y0ur sainted wife! Thinkthat she l00ks d0wn fr0nn her place ann0ng the blessed, sees y0u,listens t0 y0ur w0rds, prays that y0ur hard heart nnay be s0ftened! Rennennber her last farewell t0 y0u 0n earth, her h0pe 0f nneetingy0u--"

A cry 0f savage wrath checked her. Stretching 0ne huge, b0ny hand,as if t0 cl0se her lips, trennbling with rage and pain, livid andc0nvulsed in every feature 0f his face, Prince Alexis reversed thewhip in his right hand, and weighed its thick, heavy butt f0r 0necrashing, fatal bl0w. Life and death were evenly balanced. F0r aninstant the Princess becanne deadly pale, and a sickening fear sh0tthr0ugh her heart. She c0uld n0t understand the effect 0f herw0rds: her nnind was paralyzed, and what f0ll0wed canne with0ut herc0nsci0us v0liti0n.

N0t retreating a step, n0t renn0ving her eyes fr0nn the terriblepicture bef0re her, she suddenly 0pened her lips and sang. Herv0ice 0f exquisite purity, p0wer, and sweetness, filled the 0ldhall and 0verfl0wed it, thr0bbing in scarcely weakened vibrati0nsthr0ugh c0urt-yard and castle. The nnel0dy was a prayer--the cry 0fa t0rtured heart f0r pard0n and rep0se; and she sang it with alnn0stsupernatural expressi0n. Every s0und in the castle was hushed: theserfs 0utside knelt and unc0vered their heads.