f in my power."

"My boon is, lady," he said, "that you will do your best to assuage the
natural anger which the King of England will feel at this bold and most
violent attempt. That he should be told, is of course necessary; but,
lady, much depends upon the telling, and I am sure that at your request
the king would restrain his anger. Were it not for that, I fear that
such quarrels and disputes might arise as would bring the two armies to
blows, and destroy forever all hope of the successful termination of
our joint enterprise."

"You are a wise and good youth," the princess said, holding out her hand
to Cuthbert, which, as duty bound, he placed to his lips. "Your request
is wise and most thoughtful. I will use any poor influence which I may
possess"--and Cuthbert could see that the blood came back now to the
white face--"to induce King Richard to allow the matter to pass over.
There is no reason why he should take up the case. I am no more under
his protection than under that of the King of France, and it is to the
latter I should appeal, for as I believe the men who abducted me were
his subjects."

"The leader of them, madam, was a certain Sir de Jacquelin Barras, a
Count of Brabant, with whom my master has had an old feud, and who has
been just killed by the leader of our men-at-arms. The others, who have
had the most active hand in the matter, have also perished; and it
would, I think be doubtful whether any clew could be obtained of those
who were in league with them. The only man in the party who is alive was
placed as a sentry at your door, and as he is but a man-at-arms we may
be sure that he knows naught of the enterprise, but has merely carried
out the orders of his master."

The vessel had by this time brought up close to the port. The princess
determined to wait on board until the first dawn was seen in the skies,
and then under the escort of her deliverers to go back to the palace,
before the town was moving. This plan was carried out, and soon after
dawn the princess was safe in the palace from which she had been carried
a few hours previously.

CHAPTER X.

PIRATES.

It was not possible that a matter of this sort could be entirely hushed
up. Not many hours passed before rumors were current of events which had
taken place, though none knew what those events were.

There were reports that the tire-woman of the Princess Berengaria had in
the night discovered that her mistress' couch was uno