plainly passed.

Humphrey's stout knife was cutting through the cruel cords, even
while his horrified eyes were taking in these details.

When his brother was released, he seemed to collapse for a moment,
and fell face downwards upon the ground, a quiver running through
all his limbs, such as Humphrey had seen many a time in some wild
creature stricken with its death wound.

He uttered a sharp cry of terror and anguish, and averting his eyes
from the awful sights with which the place abounded, he dashed to
the well, and bringing back a supply of pure cold water, flung it
over his brother's prostrate form, laving his face and hands, and
holding a small vessel to his parched and swollen lips so that the
draught could trickle into his mouth.

There was an effort to swallow, a quiver and a struggle, and the
wounded man opened his eyes and sat up.

"Where am I--what is it?" he gasped, draining the cup again and
again, like one who has been near to perish with thirst. "O
Humphrey, I have had such an awful dream!"

Humphrey had so placed his brother that he should not see on
opening his eyes that ghastly sight which turned the younger man
sick with horror each time his eyes wandered that way.

Charles saw the familiar outline of the forest, and his brother's
face bending over him. He had for a moment a vague impression of