her garment covering which she had committed it, in her haste, when summoned out to this perilous trial-display.

And now the rocking steeple saw four hands employed upon the ropes for the ringing of those grand bells. For the mechanism of them was so perfect that in comparison slight exertions were alone necessary for the most tremendous effects, and to produce the most beautiful music. Flights of the bell-notes were flung out as it were of the belfry windows like presents to Paradise. And as he stood opposite, in his turn, working like the Archangel Michael amid serpents at the rebellious ropes, trampling them victoriously up into

heaven's own blessed music, and watching his almost now murderously jealous wife with triumphant light askance out of his eyes, she was astonished at his nearly supernatural bell-tolling achievement. Never perhaps had man pulled so well. Powers other than humanan angelic group of Unseen-ringing Presences-seemed employed in realising the most exquisite bell-like effects. And after one superb flourish, as if of entry into heaven, a cheer-such a cheer as never rises but after battle fought and victory won:-this rose from below. It

CAST FROM THE BELFRY.

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carried joy to his heart. But his now utterly jealous and maddened wife-possessed by a devil as it wereplunged upon him unawares; and catching a smile of complacent triumph on his lips as he raised his thanking eyes to heaven, she grappled him like a Nemesis or a Norwegian Fury; and she thrust him forth-spite of

the fearful clutch which grasped for life the irons of it -out of a large quatrefeuille of the enormously high steeple. Half way down which (indeed) the clouds almost rolled and spread flat along. Such a shrill horror rose from the crowd below as staggered. The

T

cry

of

terror-stricken woman-now recalled to herself-her arms wide-stretched as if at once in shrieking appeal and denunciation upon the bell behind; which in its hollow-sounding last swing only groaned deep out a sort of doleful thunder-roll as its knell over revenge and mad art-jealousy-even of a husband. It smote loud condemnation and told death to her on the clashing air. And thus was a strange Flemish Tragedy, to which the great thundering bells supplied the "choral," enacted in the Steeple of the Great Church of Louvain. And this was the end of Marcus Mujik the Bell-toller. All was the work of the fiend winged on the SILVER PIECE, as it wrought its magic in its invisible errand through the air, even in the bells.

Our detached episodes are only special illustrations of the power of the SILVER PIECE. It is as the true and ubiquitous hero of our legendary tale that we adduce the phases of the life of this seemingly unliving thing; gifted as it may however be with a devil.

On the previous page we give the representation (copied from an old picture) of the celebration, in Louvain, at once of the triumph of the Great Female Bell-toller, and of the obsequies of the renowned Marcus Mujik, her vanquished, (dead), husband.

THE

of

HE year is 1312-that of the general suppression, all over Europe, of the order of the Knights Templars. Paris gives the first signal of the sacrifice. England follows. Europe completes its frightful task.

Jacques Molay, Grand Master of the Templars, places his hand in a bag of silver which he has commanded to be brought to him out of the treasure-chests during a secret Chapter of his order. And he gives unknowingly a SILVER PIECE to a Knight. It is remarked not in its similitude to the others. But it is in reality the mysterious wandering PIECE which travels - like a spark from out of the pit of Orcus-from country to country-surviving through all time;-white, wan, and

woeful.

"Thou art sworn to poverty. This is to help thee towards Jerusalem. Thy brethren shall give thee food and raiment on the way. This is as a gift from thy father-ruler; this be thy talisman."

Charles De Ramus set out on his long journey. He esteemed the SILVER PIECE of MONEY as a gift most considerable and not to be parted with under any temptation; since it was bestowed upon him by his revered Grand Master. And therefore he carried it by night

and by day in the palm of his steel gauntlet. But at Vienna his progress was arrested. And he was seized and thrown into a dungeon, being charged upon his badges of Templar recognition with participation in the scandals and crimes then so suddenly and so frightfully imputed to his whole Order, and to which they fell sacrifice.

Horrors with the Templar great-ones were enacted in Paris. And in due time the unhappy De Ramus was brought-up on the charge before a council especially convoked to try the monstrous sins laid to the door of these priestly guardians of the Temple through all their various degrees of age and rank. And he was a knight of the order, though not high advanced in it; and therefore he was held responsible for the supposed crimes.