ny weapons, so that I could not at all distinguish
the single combat between my father and the red Captain from the rest of
the fray.

Presently the man gave a howl of rage. "Our Captain is being forced
back!" he cried. "We are getting the worst of the fight everywhere. It's
too much!--we are needed down there! To the devil with orders!--the
Captain will be glad enough if we turn the tide. And we'd better try our
luck down there than be taken here, for short time they'll give us for
prayers, my children." While speaking he had moved from the window to my
door.

"Certainly this prisoner is safe enough," answered one of the men,
whereupon he and the others in the passage ran down the stairs.

But the man who had been at the window turned to me. "Safe enough,--yes,
so it looks," said he. "Young man, the Captain must think you a
magician, to take so much pains against your escaping. If it came to the
worst, I was to kill you, and the time seems to have arrived: so, if
you'll pardon me--"

"You will be a great fool," said I, as he approached with his sword
drawn; "for if you are taken alive my intervention will save your neck."

"How do you know it will?"

"By the fact that the gentleman down there whose fighting you so admire
is my father."

"Indeed? You are a gentleman: do you give your word of honour for that?"

"Yes; and to speak for you if I am alive when your side is finally
defeated."

"Very good, Monsieur. I will hold you to that." Upon this he left me and
followed his comrades down the stairs.

His footfalls had scarcely ceased upon the stairway, when other sounds
began to come from the same direction,--those of conflict in the
entrance hall below. Somebody had drawn his antagonist, or been forced
by him, into the house. There was the quick, irregular stamp of booted
feet on the stone floor, the keen music of sword striking sword. If the
fight spread generally into the house, and the defenders fled to the
upper rooms, my position must become more critical. So I listened rather
to this noise in the hallway than to the tumult in the court-yard. By
the sound of the steel coming nearer, and that of the footfalls changing
somewhat, I presently knew that one of the fighters had sought the
vantage--or disadvantage--of the staircase. But the other evidently
pushed him hard, for soon both combatants had reached the landing at the
turn of the stairs, as was manifest from a sudden increase of their
noise in my ear