ound at the young
girl's side. From above came exclamations of wonder and amazement,
mingled with invective.

"They're gone!" cried one.

"Here they are!" exclaimed another, looking down from the window.

The jester at once seized the means of descent, but not before the man
who had discovered them was on the upper rounds; a quick effort on the
fool's part, and ladder and rogue toppled over together. The
enterprising knave lay motionless where he fell.

"_Vrai Dieu_! He wanted to come down," said an approving voice.

Turning, the jester beheld the Spanish troubadour, who was composedly
engaged in placing bundles of straw against the wall of the inn.

"I don't think he'll bother you any more," continued the minstrel in
his deep tones. "If you'll ride down the road, I'll join you in a
moment."

So saying, he knelt before the combustible accumulation he had been
diligently heaping together and struck a spark which, seizing on the
dry material, immediately kindled into a great flame.

"What are you doing, villain?" roared the landlord from the window,
discovering the forks of fire, already leaping and crackling about the
tavern.

"Only making a bonfire of a foul nest," lightly answered the minstrel,
standing back as though to admire his handiwork. "Your vile hostelry
burns well, my dissembling host."

"Hell-dog! varlet!" screamed the proprietor, overwhelmed with
consternation.

"Is it thus you greet your guests?" replied the troubadour, throwing
another bundle of straw upon the already formidable conflagration.
"You were not wont to be so discourteous, my prince of bonifaces."

But recovering from his temporary stupor, the landlord, without reply,
disappeared from the window.

"Now may we safely leave the flames to the wind," commented the
minstrel, as he sprang upon a small nag which had been fastened to a
shed near by. "As we have burned the roof over our heads," he
continued, addressing the wondering jester and his companion, who had
already mounted and were waiting, "let us seek another hostelry."

Swiftly the trio rode forth from the tavern yard, out into the moonlit
road.

"Not so quickly, my friends," commented the troubadour. "As I fastened
the doors and blinds without, we may proceed leisurely, for it will be
some time before mine host and his friends can batter their way from
the inn. Besides, it goes against the grain to run so precipitously
from my fire. Such a beautiful _auto da fe_