for that you have lost your wager."

"My wager, Simon! I call to mind no wager."

"But I will call it to your mind, and then I will take my payment. Often
have you sworn that you would break my courage. 'By my head!' you have
cried to me. 'You will crawl at my feet!' and again: 'I will wager my
head that I will tame you!' Yes, yes, a score of times you have said so.
In my heart, as I listened, I have taken up your gage. And now, dog, you
have lost and I am here to claim the forfeit."

His long heavy sword flew from its sheath. The King, with a howl of
despair, flung his arms round him, and they rolled together under the
table. Aylward sat with a ghastly face, and his toes curled with horror
at the sight, for he was still new to scenes of strife and his blood was
too cold for such a deed. When Simon rose he tossed something into his
bag and sheathed his bloody sword.

"Come, Samkin, our work is well done," said he.

"By my hilt, if I had known what it was I would have been less ready to
come with you," said the archer. "Could you not have clapped a sword in
his fist and let him take his chance in the hall?"

"Nay, Samkin, if you had such memories as I, you would have wished that
he should die like a sheep and not like a man. What chance did he give
me when he had the power? And why should I treat him better? But, Holy
Virgin, what have we here?"

At the farther end of the table a woman was standing. An open door
behind her showed that she had come from the inner room of the house.
By her tall figure the comrades knew that she was the same that they had
already seen. Her face had once been fair, but now was white and haggard
with wild dark eyes full of a hopeless terror and despair. Slowly she
paced up the room, her gaze fixed not upon the comrades, but upon the
dreadful thing beneath the table. Then as she stooped and was sure she
burst into loud laughter and clapped her hands.

"Who shall say there is no God?" she cried. "Who shall say that prayer
is unavailing? Great sir, brave sir, let me kiss that conquering hand!"

"Nay, nay, dame, stand back! Well, if you must needs have one of them,
take this which is the clean one."

"It is the other I crave--that which is red with his blood! Oh! joyful
night when my lips have been wet with it! Now I can die in peace!"

"We must go, Aylward," said Simon. "In another hour the dawn will have
broken. In daytime a rat could not cross this island and pass unseen.
Come, ma