"O blessed Saint George -- blessed and glorious victor! thou hast come
to me a second time to strengthen and to save. Ah, leave me not! To thee
I give myself; help, O help me to escape out of this snare, which is
more cruel than that of death itself! I will serve thee ever, blessed
saint. I will be thine in life and death! Only fight my battle with the
devil and his host, and take me for thine own for ever and ever."

Raymond kindly lifted him up, and laid him upon the bed again.

"I am no saint," he said, a little shamefacedly; "I am but a youth like
thyself. Thou must not pray to me. But I will help thee all I may, and
perchance some day, when this yoke be broken from off thy neck, we will
ride forth into the world together, and do some service there for those
who are yet oppressed and in darkness."

"I will follow thee to the world's end, be thou who thou mayest!"
exclaimed the boy ecstatically, clasping his thin hands together, whilst
a look of infinite peace came into his weary eyes. "If thou wouldest
watch beside my bed, then might I sleep in peace. He will not dare to
come nigh me; his messengers must stand afar off, fearing to approach
when they see by whom I am guarded."

It was plainly useless to try to disabuse Roger of the impression that
his visitor was other than a supernatural one, and Raymond saw that with
the boy's mind so enfeebled and unhinged he had better let him think
what he would. He simply held the crucifix over him once again, and
said, with a calm authority that surprised even himself:

"Trust not in me, nor in any Saint however holy. In the Name of the
Blessed Jesus alone put thy faith. Speak the prayer His lips have