ung squire

walked across to the window and gazed out at the moonlit

landscape, his mind absorbed by the thought of the lady tiphaine,

and of the strange words that she had spoken as to what was going

forward at castle twynham. leaning his elbows upon the

stonework, he was deeply plunged in reverie, when in a moment his

thoughts were brought back to villefranche and to the scene

before him.

the window at which he stood was in the second floor of that

portion of the castle which was nearest to the keep. in front

lay the broad moat, with the moon lying upon its surface, now

clear and round, now drawn lengthwise as the breeze stirred the

waters. beyond, the plain sloped down to a thick wood, while

further to the left a second wood shut out the view. between the

two an open glade stretched, silvered in the moonshine, with the

river curving across the lower end of it.

as he gazed, he saw of a sudden a man steal forth from the wood

into the open clearing. he walked with his head sunk, his

shoulders curved, and his knees bent, as one who strives hard to

remain unseen. ten paces from the fringe of trees he glanced

around, and waving his hand he crouched down, and was lost to

sight among a belt of furze-bushes. after him there came a

second man, and after him a third, a fourth, and a fifth stealing

across the narrow open space and darting into the shelter of the

brushwood. nine-and-seventy alleyne counted of these dark

figures flitting across the line of the moonlight. many bore

huge burdens upon their backs, though what it was that they

carried he could not tell at the distance. out of the one wood

and into the other they passed, all with the same crouching,

furtive gait, until the black bristle of trees had swallowed up

the last of them.

for a moment alleyne stood in the window, still staring down at

the silent forest, uncertain as to what he should think of these

midnight walkers. then he bethought him that there was one

beside him who was fitter to judge on such a matter. his fingers

had scarce rested upon aylward's shoulder ere the bowman was on

his feet, with his hand outstretched to his sword.

"qui va?" he cried. "hola! mon petit. by my hilt! i thought

there had been a camisade. what then, mon gar.?"

"come hither by the window, aylward," said alleyne. "i have seen

four-score men pass from yonder shaw across the glade, and nigh

every man of them had a great burden on his back. what think you

of it?"

"i think nothing of it, mon camarade! there are as many

masterless folk in this country as there are rabbits on cowdray

down, and there are many who show their faces by night but would

dance in a hempen collar if they stirred forth in the day. on all

the french marches are droves of outcasts, reivers, spoilers, and

draw-latches, of whom i judge that these are some, though i

marvel that they should dare to come so nigh to the castle of the

seneschal. all seems very quiet now," he added, peering out of

the window.

"they are in the further wood," said alleyne.

"and there they may bide. back to rest, mon petit; for, by my

hilt! each day now will bring its own work. yet it would be well

to shoot the bolt in yonder door when one is in strange quarters.

so!" he threw himself down upon his pallet and in an instant was

fast asleep.

it might have been about three o'clock in the morning when

alleyne was aroused from a troubled sleep by a low cry or

exclamation. he listened, but, as he heard no more, he set it

down as the challenge of the guard upon the walls, and dropped

off to sleep once more. a few minutes later he was disturbed by

a gentle creaking of his own door, as though some one were

pushing cautiously against it, and immediately afterwards he

heard the soft thud of cautious footsteps upon the stair which

led to the room above, followed by a confused noise and a muffled

groan. alleyne sat up on his couch with all his nerves in a

tingle, uncertain whether these sounds might come from a simple

cause--some sick archer and visiting leech perhaps--or whether

they might have a more sinister meaning, but what danger could

threaten them here in this strong castle, under the care of

famous warriors, with high walls and a broad moat around them?

who was there that could injure them? he had well-nigh persuaded

himself that his fears were a foolish fancy, when his eyes fell

upon that which sent the blood cold to his heart and left him

gasping, with hands clutching at the counterpane.

right in front of him was the broad window of the chamber, with

the moon shining brightly through it. for an instant something

had obscured the light, and now a head was bobbing up and down

outside, the face looking in at him, and swinging slowly from one

side of the window to the other. even in that dim light there

could be no mistak