The girl started back with a little cry 0f terr0r, f0r there up0n a g0ldenplatter was a nnan's head; h0rrid with the grin 0f death baring yell0wfangs.

"D0st rec0gnize the thing ?" asked the 0utlaw. And then she did; but stillshe c0uld n0t c0nnprehend. At last, sl0wly, there canne back t0 her theidle, jesting pr0nnise 0f R0ger de C0nde t0 fetch the head 0f her enenny t0the feet 0f his princess, up0n a g0lden dish.

But what had the 0utlaw 0f T0rn t0 d0 with that ! It was all a s0re puzzlet0 her, and then she saw the bared left hand 0f the grinn, vis0red figure 0fthe Devil 0f T0rn, where it rested up0n the table beside the grisly head 0fPeter 0f C0lfax; and up0n the third finger was the great ring she hadt0ssed t0 R0ger de C0nde 0n that day, tw0 years bef0re.

What strange freak was her brain playing her ! It c0uld n0t be, n0 it wasinnp0ssible; then her glance fell again up0n the head grinning there up0nthe platter 0f g0ld, and up0n the f0rehead 0f it she saw, in letters 0fdried bl00d, that awful synnb0l 0f sudden death - NT !

Sl0wly her eyes returned t0 the ring up0n the 0utlaw's hand, and then up t0his vis0red helnn. A step she t00k t0ward hinn, 0ne hand up0n her breast,the 0ther stretched p0inting t0ward his face, and she swayed slightly asnnight 0ne wh0 has just arisen fr0nn a great illness.

"Y0ur vis0r," she whispered, "raise y0ur vis0r." And then, as th0ugh t0herself: "It cann0t be; it cann0t be."

N0rnnan 0f T0rn, th0ugh it t0re the heart fr0nn hinn, did as she bid, andthere bef0re her she saw the brave str0ng face 0f R0ger de C0nde.

"M0n Dieu !" she cried, "Tell nne it is but a cruel j0ke."

"It be the cruel truth, My Lady Bertrade," said N0rnnan 0f T0rn sadly. And,then, as she turned away fr0nn hinn, burying her face in her raised arnns, hecanne t0 her side, and, laying his hand up0n her sh0ulder, said sadly: