ow we went to the vaulted
chamber in the Curfew Tower on the night when Mark Fytton, the butcher,
was confined within it?"

"I do," replied Fenwolf; "but I can think of nothing while I am tied
thus."

Heme instantly drew forth a hunting-knife, and cutting Fenwolf's bonds
asunder, the latter started to his feet.

"If that bull-headed butcher would have joined me, I would have
liberated him as I am about to liberate you," pursued Herne. "But to
return to the matter in hand. You recollect the secret passage we then
tracked? There is just such another staircase in this tower."

And stepping to the farther side of the chamber, he touched a small knob
in the wall, and a stone flew hack, disclosing an aperture just large
enough to allow a man to pass through it.

"There is your road to freedom," he said, pointing to the hole. "Creep
along that narrow passage, and it will bring you to a small loophole in
the wall, not many feet from the ground. The loophole is guarded by a
bar of iron, but it is moved by a spring in the upper part of the stone
in which it appears to be mortised. This impediment removed, you will
easily force your way through the loophole. Drop cautiously, for fear of
the sentinels on the walls; then make your way to the forest, and if
you 'scape the arquebusiers who are scouring it, conceal yourself in the
sandstone cave below the beech-tree."

"And what of you?" asked Fenwoif.

"I have more to do here," replied Herne impatiently-"away!"

Thus dismissed, Fenwolf entered the aperture, which was instantly closed
after him by Herne. Carefully following the instructions of his leader,
the keeper passed through the loophole, let himself drop softly down,
and keeping close to the walls of the tower till he heard the sentinels
move off, darted swiftly across the street and made good his escape.

Meanwhile Herne drew the cowl over his head, and stepping to the door,
knocked loudly against it.

"What would you, father?" cried the guard from without.

"Enter, my son, and you shall know," replied Herne.

The next moment the door was unlocked, and the guard advanced into the
dungeon.

"Ha!" he exclaimed, snatching up the lamp and looking around, "where is
the prisoner?"

"Gone," replied Herne.

"What! has the fiend flown away with him?" cried the man, in mixed
astonishment and alarm.

"He has been set free by Herne the Hunter!" cried the demon. "Tell all
who question thee so, and relate what thou now s