lad's eyes.

"You shall not find me wanting in my part of the bargain," he muttered,
as he took up the soldier's cloak and hat. "Come, take that parson's
steeple hat and his cloak, and let us be going."

He crossed to the door, and opening it he peered down the passage. A
moment he stood listening. All was still. Then he turned again. In the
chamber the steely light of the breaking day was rendering more yellow
still the lanthorn's yellow flame.

"Fare you well, sir parson," he said. "Forgive me the discomfort I have
been forced to put upon you, and pray for the success of our escape.
Commend me to Oliver of the ruby nose. Fare you well, sir. Come,
Kenneth."

He held the door for the lad to pass out. As they stood in the dimly
lighted passage he closed it softly after them, and turned the key in
the lock.

"Come," he said again, and led the way to the stairs, Kenneth tiptoeing
after him with wildly beating heart.

CHAPTER X. THE ESCAPE

Treading softly, and with ears straining for the slightest sound, the
two men descended to the first floor of the house. They heard nothing
to alarm them as they crept down, and 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 guessed
how matters stood even before he had looked over the balusters into
the hall beneath. The faint grey of the dawn was the only light that
penetrated the gloom of that pit.

"The Fates are kind, Kenneth," he whispered. "Those fools sit with
closed doors. Come."

But Kenneth laid his hand upon Galliard's sleeve. "What if the door
should open as we pass?"

"Someone will die," muttered Crispin back. "But pray God that it may
not. We must run the risk."

"Is there no other way?"

"Why, yes," returned Galliard sardonically, "we can linger here until we
are taken. But, oddslife, I'm not so minded. Come."

And as he spoke he drew the lad along.

His foot was upon the topmost stair of the flight, when of a sudden the
stillness of the house was broken by a loud knock upon the street door.
Instantly--as though they had been awaiting it there was a stir of feet
below and the bang of an overturned chair; then a shaft of yellow light
fell athwart the darkness of the hall as the guardroom door was opened.

"Back!" growled Galliard. "Back, man!"

They were but in time. Peering over the balusters they saw two troopers
pass ou