The Outlaw of Torn

weeks had passed since Roger de Conde had ridden out from the portals of Stutevill and many time

their arms about each other's waists, pouring the last confidences into ea

"Wert my father here he would, I am sure, not permit thee t

ourney. By evening it will have been accomplished; and, as the only one I fear in these parts received

en-at-arms came limping to us with the news of the awful carnage the foul fiend had wrought on his master's

man of Torn was most courteous to thee when he sacked this, th

Again, forget not that thou be Leicester's daughter and Henry's niece; against both of whom the Outlaw of Torn openly swears his hatred and his v

rn, Mary? Thy reasoning is on a parity with

for either number would be but a mouthful to that horrid horde of unhung murderers. No, Mary, I shal

it were plain that thou be a De Montfort; that race whose hi

aughed, and kissed her

otect me. Then indeed shall I send back your five knights, for of a truth,

to leave on the morrow, "that should you meet the doughty Sir Roge

it her lip as she felt the w

fool, Mary,

hugely enjoying the discomfiture of the

rtrade; but now I seest that I divined all too truly. He b

not wipe my feet upon him, I care naught whatever for him, and then-it has

would not wipe her feet upon him, but she be sore vexed that he has

stamping her sandaled foot, and with a toss of her

ulbous nose bespoke the manner of his life; while his thick lips, the lower hanging large and flabby over his receding chin, indicated the base passions to which his life and been give

reasons? Let it go that my hate of Leicester be the passion which moves me. Thou failed

ut tomorrow for her father's

if thou wouldst have her, be quick, for we should ride out tonight t

tch him in some trap. He did not know his guest-the fellow might want the girl for h

y mind; it be nothing to me other than my revenge, and if thou wilst not do it, I shall

hreat decid

shall ride out with you in half an

er of Colfax summoned his squire whom he had se

ed, "ye made a rare fizzle of a piece of busi

My L

ut with ten men where the stranger who waits in the courtyard below shall lead ye, and

My L

ist us. At the first sign of treachery, fall upon him with all

ord. When

e. You

nd threatening. In vain did Mary de Stutevill plead with her friend to give up the idea of sett

enough to account for as it be. Do not urge me to add even one more day to my excuses. And again, perchance, my mother and my father may be sore di

e muddy road, wrapped in mantle and surcoat. As they proceeded, the rain and wind increased in volume, until it was being drive

forest, into the somber shadows of which the road wound. There was a glint of armor among the drenched foliage, but the rain-buff

e forth with couched spears. Charging at full run down upon them, they overthrew three of the girl's escort before a blow could be struck in her defense. Her two remaining

, a little, grim, gray man, discovered that she had put spurs to her palfrey

fort urged her mount into a wild run, for she had recognized the arms

rmandy and Flanders, might have been tethered in their stalls for all the chance they had of overt

de good her escape that day. As it was, however, her fleet mount had carried her but two hundred yards er

rope, Bertrade de Montfort was thrown far before him, where she

ad or in the hands of Peter of Colfax, it was all the same to him. In either event, his purpose would be acco

traitor in the service of Norman of Torn, whose mean aid the little grim, gray man ha

eless form of Bertrade de Montfort and placed

here be life left in her, we must hast

e little old man. "My part

l they had disappeared in the fo

knights of Sir John de Stutevill. Three were already dead, the othe

word, silently finished the two wounded men. Then, drawing his dagger, he made a mar

ark upon the dead will quite effectually stop further

and furious at the head of a dozen of his

Eleanor, his wife, filled with grave apprehensions, had posted their

he muddy road, until late in the afternoon they came upon a white palfrey st

ng here indeed." But a rapid search of the vicinity, and loud calls brought no

had been found, they came upon the dead bodies of the f

allen men. The arms upon shield and helm confirmed his firs

, there stared up into his face from the foreheads of the dead

Torn, my gentlemen," he said to his followers. "Come, we need no further guide

in a strange room, and above her bent an old woman; a repuls

ontfort. Come, come, now, arise and clothe thyself, for the handsome bridegroom canst scarce restrain his eager desire t

nd then, "O, Mon Dieu!" as she remembered the events of the afternoon; and the arms of Colfax upon the shie

t she was his niece would scarce aid her cause with Henry, for it was more than counter-ba

e heavy tramp of approaching feet, an

Hast the damsel awa

was but just urging her to arise and clothe

thee if thou showest the good sense I give thee credit for. I will awa

contempt than in fear, but the tone

o dress, while the receding footsteps of the Baron diminished down t

on, but the girl would not talk. Her whole mind was

the narrow, unglazed windows beyond which lay freedom. Would she ever again breathe God's pure air outside these stifling walls? These grimy hateful walls! Black as the inky rafters and wainscot except for occasional splotches a few shades less begrim

light from a small wood fire upon one of the two great hear

above, dented and nicked by the pounding of huge drinking horns and heavy swords when wild and lusty brawlers had been mov

of this rough room, and she shuddered. One little foot tapped sullenly upon the disordered floor which was littere

ing heed; she looked for the man she sought that she might quickly have

e lower end of the apartment, where she had entered, there was but one other door leading from the hall. Thi

ast times. From the black mouth of the aperture stepped Peter of Colfax. Silently, he closed the panel after him, and with so

ss and mystery of his appearance, he failed signal

ter, for this base treachery against thy ne

ath dared the wrath of thy great father and majestic uncle, and lays his heart at thy feet, O beauteous Bertrade, knowing full well that thine hath been hungering after

w him her haughty countenance

for I will have none of thee. Let me hence, if thou be a gentleman, and no word of what hath transpired shall ever pass my lips. Bu

further covered with confusion by the fact that his huge stomach made it necessary for him to go upon all fours before he could rise, so that he got up much after the m

whether thou wilt accept Peter of Colfax as thy husband, or take another positio

d him, the laugh stil

wishes into deeds, thou craven coward, for well ye know that Simon de Montfort would cut out thy foul heart with his own hand if he ever suspected thou wert guilty of

is prisoner before him once more. So terribly had the old hag played upon the girl's fears that she felt fully certain tha

ch the single embrasure overlooked. There was, therefore, no avenue of escape in this direction. The solitary door

fate in the hope that succor might come from some source. But her most subtle wiles proved ineffectual in ridding her, even for a m

one hung from the girdle of the old wo

close to the girl's body to see what was wrong with the girdle clasp, Bertrade reached quickly to her side and snatched t

ack, old hag, or thou shalt feel

sing and blaspheming in a most horrible

and quickly dropped the mighty bars into place. Scarcely had the last great bolt been slipped t

ithin, Coll," c

gger from me and is murderin

mmediately send for my friends to conduct me from thy castle, for I will not

in. So passed the afternoon, and as darkness settled upon the castle the

m she did not dare move her eyes for a single second. All that long night she sat thus, and w

come out; he even admitted defeat and promised her safe conduct to her father's

rve you out," he

. "But thy old servant here will starve first, for she be very old and not so strong

isoner would carry out her threat and so he set his men t

admit a hand and arm, but the first one intruded within the room to raise the bars was drawn quickly back with a howl of pain fr

ly while Peter of Colfax renewed his entreaties, through t

nt enters my heart. There is nothing beyond that door, with thou, pol

hideous hours removing her glance from the old hag. It was enough. Silently, but with the quickness o

she shrieked, "t

e tiny opening in the door and a second later fo

ade's fingers, and at the Baron's bidding

de back and forth upon the rushes which strewed the floor. Finally

e offered you your choice; to be the honored wife of Peter of Colfax, or, by

wife nor mistress to a coward; a hideous, abhorrent pig of a man. I would die, it seems, if I felt the touch of your hand upon me.

love me not now, I shall learn you to love ere the sun rises." And with a vile oath he grasped