g swords, but ere they could stab again,
the Abbot leaped full five feet high, and fell with a tremendous crash
against the door below, carrying it away with him like a sheet of paper,
and through the aperture the glare of torches burst on the awe-struck
faces above, half blinding them.

The thieves at the first alarm had made for the back door, but driven
thence by a strong guard ran back to the kitchen, just in time to see
the lock forced out of the socket, and half-a-dozen mailed archers burst
in upon them. On these in pure despair they drew their swords.

But ere a blow was struck on either side, the staircase door behind them
was battered into their midst with one ponderous blow, and with it the
Abbot's body came flying, hurled as they thought by no mortal hand, and
rolled on the floor spouting blood from back and bosom in two furious
jets, and quivered, but breathed no more.

The thieves smitten with dismay fell on their knees directly, and the
archers bound them, while, above, the rescued ones still stood like
statues rooted to the spot, their dripping swords extended in the red
torchlight, expecting their indomitable enemy to leap back on them as
wonderfully as he had gone.

CHAPTER XXXIV

"Where be the true men?"

"Here be we. God bless you all! God bless you!"

There was a rush to the stairs, and half-a-dozen hard but friendly hands
were held out and grasped them warmly.

"Y'have saved our lives, lads," cried Denys, "y'have saved our lives
this night."

A wild sight met the eyes of the rescued pair. The room flaring with
torches, the glittering breastplates of the archers, their bronzed
faces, the white cheeks of the bound thieves, and the bleeding giant,
whose dead body these hard men left lying there in its own gore.

Gerard went round the archers and took them each by the hand with
glistening eyes, and on this they all kissed him; and this time he
kissed them in return. Then he said to one handsome archer of his own
age, "Prithee, good soldier, have an eye to me. A strange drowsiness
overcomes me. Let no one cut my throat while I sleep--for pity's sake."

The archer promised with a laugh; for he thought Gerard was jesting: and
the latter went off into a deep sleep almost immediately.

Denys was surprised at this: but did not interfere; for it suited his
immediate purpose. A couple of archers were inspecting the Abbot's body,
turning it half over with their feet, and inquiring, "Which of th