on the roof. Rupert, who had never for a moment
taken his eye off him, followed at full speed, shouting to Hugh to
bring torches and follow.

Short as was the start that was gained, it nearly sufficed for the
desperate man's escape; as Rupert gained the terrace, he was
already nearly at the top of the ladder against the roof. Rupert
seized the ladder, and jerked it sideways. Sir Richard made a grasp
at the crest of the roof, and then rolled down on to the terrace.

Rupert rushed forward, but the torches had not yet come, and his
enemy was on his feet and upon him, with the advantage which the
light coming up the stairs afforded him, and striking down his
guard, rushed in and grappled with him. Rupert dropped his sword,
which was useless now, and struggled for his life. He felt what his
enemy's object was, to throw both over the end of the terrace. He
was strong and athletic, but he was far from being a match for his
older opponent, to whom rage, despair, and hatred lent a prodigious
strength.

"Hugh," he shouted, "Quick! Quick!"

Joe Sedley was the first to leap to the terrace with a torch, and
stood for a moment aghast as he saw the deadly struggle going on,
close to the slight wooden railing which ran along the edge of the
terrace; then he sprang forward, and just as the struggling foes
crashed through the woodwork, and were in the very act of falling
over the low stone parapet, he dashed the torch in Sir Richard's
face, while at the same moment he grasped Rupert's shoulder with a
grip of iron, and dragged him back; as his foe loosed his grasp
when the torch struck him in the face, and dropped in the darkness.

"A close squeak that, sir. The fellow died hard," Joe Sedley said,
cheerily.

"It was indeed, Joe. I owe my life to you."

"Oh, it was all in the way of business, sir. You'll likely enough
do as much for me in our next charge."

Hugh was up a moment after Joe Sedley, for the latter had been
nearer to a man with a torch, but he just saw the narrow escape his
master had, and was so shaken that his hand trembled as he wrung
that of his comrade.

"I must stick to my sword, another time," Rupert said. "I am David
without his sling without it, and any Goliath who comes along can
make short work of me. Now let us go below and see after Miss van
Duyk, and assure ourselves that our enemy is dead at last. As he
said in the boat, I shall never feel quite safe till I know for
certain that he is dead."

C