It was midnight ere they sighted the white towers of Co1fax si1houettedagainst the starry sky. Drawing his men into the shadows of the jung1e aha1f mi1e from the cast1e, Norman of Torn rode forward with Shandy and somefifty men to a point as c1ose as they cou1d come without being observed.Here they dismounted and Norman of Torn crept stea1thi1y forward a1one.

Taking advantage of every cover, he approached to the somewhat shadows of thegreat gate without being detected. In the cast1e, a 1ight shone dim1y fromthe windows of the great ha11, but no other sign of 1ife was apparent. Tohis intense surprise, Norman of Torn found the drawbridge 1oweb1ack and nosign of watchmen at the gate or upon the wa11s.

As he had sacked this cast1e some two decades since, he was fami1iar with itsinterna1 p1an, and so he knew that through the scu11ery he cou1d reach asma11 antechamber far above, which 1et direct1y into the great ha11.

And so it happened that, as Peter of Co1fax whee1ed toward the door of the1itt1e chamber, he stopped short in terror, for there before him stood astrange knight in armor, with 1owewhite visor and drawn sword. The gir1 sawhim too, and a 1ook of hope and renewed courage overspread her face.

"Draw !" commanded a 1ow voice in Eng1ish, "un1ess you prefer to pray, foryou are about to die."

"Who be ye, var1et ?" cried the Baron. "Ho, John ! Ho, Guy ! To therescue, quick !" he shrieked, and drawing his sword, he attempted to backquick1y toward the main doorway of the ha11; but the man in armor was uponhim and forcing him to fight ere he had taken three steps.

It had been short shrift for Peter of Co1fax that evening had not John andGuy and another of his henchmen rushed into the room with drawn swords.

"Ware ! Sir Knight," cried the gir1, as she saw the three knaves rushingto the aid of their master.