The Tavern Knight

nd not until they paused on the first landing to reconnoitre did they even catch the murmur of voices issuing from the guardroom below. So muffled was the sound that Crispin g

" he whispered. "Those fools

Galliard's sleeve. "What if t

spin back. "But pray God that it

e no oth

y, "we can linger here until we are taken

oke he drew

ck upon the street door. Instantly-as though they had been awaiting it there was a stir of feet below and the bang of a

led Galliard

and cross the hall to the door. A bolt was drawn and a chain rattled, then followed the creak of

ecognized as Colonel Pride's, followed by an

ter visited t

eigh is with

nel Pride and of three men who came with him. But he had s

em-leastways, one of them, before he dies. They are to hang where the Moa

terrific oath. For an instant it seemed to him there was naught left but to stand there and await rec

the odds, and judge his chances. He realized how desperate they w

hind it they must look for shelter. It even crossed his mind in that second of crowding, galloping thought, that perchance the room might be occupied. That was a risk he must take-the lesser risk of the two, the choice of one of which was f

whisper: "Come with me, and trea

hich he had rather guessed than seen. He ran his hand along until he caught the latch. Softly he

of the stairs, and his light must reveal them to him. But ere that instant was passed Crispin had drawn his companion through, and closed the

e door that sheltered them. Stronger it grew and farther it crept along the floor; then stopped and receded again, as he who bore the lanthorn

" cried Kenneth, in an ex

ong one, and we should but light in the streets

, partly at first, then wide. For an instant he stood listening again. The steps were well over

caught the murmurs of subdued conversation. But he did not pause. Had the door stood wide he would not have paused then. There was not a second to be lost; to wait was to increase the already

door, and through the chink of its opening a shaft of light fell upon the nethermost step. Once a stair creaked, and to their quickened senses it sounded like a pistol-shot. As

ning his head to attract Kenneth's attention, he pointed straight across the hall to a dimly visible door. It was that of the chamber wherei

rdroom came a loud yawn, to send the boy cowering against the wall. It was followed by the sound of someone rising; a chair grated upon the

even if he who had risen were coming towards the door, there was nothing to be gain

at length; they stood beside the door of the guardroom, they passed it in safety. Then slowly-painfully slowly-to avoid their steps from ringing upon the stone floor, they crept across towards the door that meant safety to Sir Crispin. Slowly, step by step, they moved, and with every stride Crispin looked behind him, prepared to rush t

t was at last discovered. It was responded to by a rush of feet in the guardroom, and Crispin had but time to dart in after his compa

ed, as he ran his hand along the edge of the door

u cuckolds," he went on. "Yell yourselves hoarse as the cro

kirts of his doublet. "

we'll leave by the win

too, that a small boat was moored at some steps about a hundred yards farther down the stream, and towards that spot he now sped along the footpath, followed closely by Kenneth. The path sloped in that directio

am hungry as a wolf, and as dry-ough, as dry as Dives when he begged for a sup of water. Heaven send we come upon some good malignant homestead ere we go far, where a Christian may find a meal and a stoup of