to the
outer gate, whither Manuel must go, and to the battlements, where
Leborge was to reappear as the ghost of Christophe.

"You are afraid of each other?" queried Cecil, with his faint smile.
"Well, perhaps you have reason! I will go through the passage with both
of you. As I said before, each of us needs the other."

Relief and hate passed like shadows across the faces of Leborge and
Manuel. Each had intended to kill the other in the dark of those
passages, each had feared that he might be slain himself. As Cecil knew,
once out in the open, mutual distrust and watchfulness would ensure the
keeping of the peace.

Stuart, listening intently for the sound of shots, heard in the distance
the Englishman's voice:

"I forgot my pipe. I'll just go back for it."

And then he heard steps coming at a light, but fast run. Evidently Cecil
wanted to gain time.

The Englishman came in swiftly, picked up his pipe--which he had left on
the stone--slipped across toward the window, moved a loosened stone and
drew out from a cavity in the wall a green bundle from which some straps
were hanging. These he buckled on as a body-harness. Stuart had never
seen fingers that moved so quickly, or which had less appearance of
hurry.

A thought struck him. Impulsively, he leaped from the embrasure.

A glitter told him that the gun was covering him.

He spoke breathlessly.

"Manuel expected me to kill Leborge. He'll kill me for not doing it."

In answer to a commanding look of interrogation, Stuart went on:

"I'm an American, and straight. I'll tell you all about it, later. Guess
there isn't much time, now. Take me with you."

Cecil knew men. He looked at the boy, piercingly, and answered:

"Very well. If you've got the nerve."

"I have!"

Eye flashed to eye.

Came the decision:

"Your belt's too small. Take mine!"

The Englishman unfastened his own belt, grasped the boy by the
shoulders, spun him round, ran the belt under his arms and through the
two sides of the harness he had strapped on himself. He took a step and
a heave and both were on the window-sill.

At the sight of the abyss below, a sudden panic caught Stuart's breath
and heart, and he seemed to choke.

"What do we do?" he gasped.

"We jump!" said Cecil.

They leaped clear.

For a hundred feet they fell, and Stuart closed his eyes in that
sickening dizziness which comes from a high fall.

Then he felt Cecil's arm grip him in a bear hug, and, a second a