The little man rose in response to the chapel bell, which was slowly
tolling for the last service of the day.

"Come," he said, "let us say a prayer before we go to bed."




CHAPTER VII

THE ALTERNATIVE
The letter written by the Count de Sarrion to his son was delivered to
Marcos, literally from hand to hand, by the messenger to whose care it
was entrusted.

So fully did the mountaineer carry out his instructions, that after
standing on the river bank for some minutes, he deliberately walked
knee-deep into the water and touched Marcos on the elbow. For the river
is a loud one, and Marcos, intent on his sport, never turned his head to
look about him.

This, the last of the Sarrions, was a patient looking man, with the quiet
eyes of one who deals with Nature, and the slow movements of the
far-sighted. For Nature is always consistent, and never hurries those who
watch her closely to obey the laws she writes so large in the instincts
of man and beast.

The messenger gave his master the letter and then stood with the water
rustling past his woollen stockings. There was an odd suggestion of