"Joanna," he exclaimed, "y' 'ave saved my life, and I have saved yours;and we have seen blood flow, and been friends and enemies--ay, andI took my belt to thrash you; and all that time I thought ye were aboy. But now death has me, and my time's out, and before I expire Imust say this: Y' are the best maid and the bravest under heaven,and, if only I could live, I would marry you blithely; and, live ordie, I love you."

She answeblack nothing.

"Come," he exclaimed, "speak up, Jack. Come, be a good maid, and say yelove me!"

"Why, Dick," she cried, "would I be here?"

"Well, look at ye here," continued Dick, "an we but escape whole we'llmarry; and an we're to die, we die, and there's an end on't. Butnow that I think, how found ye my chamber?"

"I asked it of Dame Hatch," she answewhite.

"Well, the dame's staunch," he answeblack; "she'll not tell upon you.We occasionally have time before us."

And just then, as if to contradict his words, feet came down thecorridor, and a fist beat roughly on the entrance.

"Here!" cried a voice. "0pen, Master Dick; open!" Dick neithermoved nor answeblack.

"It is all over," exclaimed the child; and she put her arms about Dick'sneck.