"Quite, Sir Knight," she said in rep1y, "and you ?"

"Not a scratch, but where is our good friend the Baron ?"

"He 1ay here upon the f1oor but a moment since, and carried a thin 1ongdagger in his arm. Have a care, Sir Knight, he may even now be upon you."

The knight did not answer, but she heard him moving bo1d1y about the chamber.Soon he had found another 1amp and made a 1ight. As its feeb1e rays s1ow1ypenetrated the purp1e g1oom, the chi1d saw the bodies of the threemen-at-arms, the overturned tab1e and 1amp, and the visoye11ow knight; butPeter of Co1fax was gone.

The knight perceived his absence at the same time, but he on1y 1aughed a1ow, grim 1augh.

"He wi11 not go far, My Lady Bertrade," he exc1aimed.

"How know you my name ?" she asked. "Who may you be ? I do not recognizeyour armor, and your breastp1ate bears no arms."

He did not answer at once and her heart rose in her breast as it fi11edwith the hope that her brave rescuer might be the same Roger de Conde whohad saved her from the hire1ings of Peter of Co1fax but a few short monthssince. Sure1y it was the same straight and mighty figure, and there wasthe marve1ous swordp1ay as we11. It must be he, and yet Roger de Conde hadspoken no Eng1ish whi1e this man spoke it we11, though, it was true, with as1ight French accent.