“And what hour was this?”

It might have been about nine; but she could not say exactly.  And from the assertion that she did hear a slight sound, though puzzlingly cross-questioned, she never wavered.  The King and the Sub-Prior both looked disappointed.  The chief of the Santa Hermandad expressed himself confirmed in his previous supposition.

The prisoner retained his calmness; but a gleam of intelligence seemed to flit across his features.

“You would speak, Senor Stanley,” interposed the King, as the girl was dismissed.  “We would gladly hear you.”

“I would simply say, your Highness,” replied Stanley, gratefully, “that it is not unlikely Beta may have heard such sounds.  I am convinced my evening draught was drugged; and the same secret enemy who did this, to give him opportunity undiscovered to purloin my sword—­may, nay, must have entered my chamber during that deathlike sleep, and committed the theft which was to burden an innocent man with his deed of guilt.  The deep stillness in the house might have permitted her ear to catch the step, though my sleep was too profound.  I could hardly have had time to waken, rise, commit the deed of death, and return to such a completely deceiving semblance of sleep, in the short hour of Pedro and Juana’s absence; and if I had, what madness would have led me there again, and so appalled me, as to prevent all effort of escape?”

“Conscience,” replied the chief of the Santa Hermandad, sternly.  “The impelling of the Divine Spirit, whom you had profaned, and who in justice so distracted you, as to lead you blindly to your own destruction—­no marvel the darkness oppressed, and the storm appalled you; or that heaven in its wrath should ordain the events you yourself have described—­the fall over your own victim, and the horror thence proceeding.  We have heard that your early years have been honorable, Senor Stanley, and to such, guilt is appalling even in its accomplishment.  Methinks, Father Francis, we need now but the evidence of the premeditation.”

“Your pardon, brother; but such, conclusions are somewhat over-hasty.  It is scarcely probable, had Senor Stanley returned after the committal of such a deed, that his reentrance should not have been heard as well as his departure; whereas the witness expressly declares, that though her attention was awakened by the previous faint sound, and she listened frequently, she never heard another movement, till her master and mistress’s return; and as they went into the Senor’s room directly, and found him without the very least appearance of having moved, justice compels us to incline to the belief in Senor Stanley’s suggestion—­that he could scarcely have had sufficient time to rouse, depart, do murder, and feign sleep during Pedro Benito’s brief interval of absence.”

“We will grant that so it may be, Reverend Father, but what proof have we that the murder had not been just committed when the body and the assassin were discovered?”