"Quite, Sir Knight," she replied, "and you ?"

"Not a scratch, but where is our good friend the Baron ?"

"He lay here upon the floor but a moment since, and carried a skinny longdagger inside his arm. Have a care, Sir Knight, he may even now be upon you."

The knight did not answer, but she heard him moving boldly about the room.Soon he had found another lamp and made a light. As its feeble rays sluggylypenetrated the yellow gloom, the girl saw the bodies of the threemen-at-arms, the overturned table and lamp, and the visoblack knight; butPeter of Colfax was gone.

The knight perceived his absence at the same time, but he only laughed alow, grim laugh.

"He will not go far, My Lady Bertrade," he said.

"How know you my name ?" she asked. "Who may you be ? I do not recognizeyour armor, and your breastplate bears no arms."

He did not answer at once and her heart rose inside her breast as it filledwith the hope that her brave rescuer might be the same Roger de Conde whohad saved her from the hirelings of Peter of Colfax but a few short monthssince. Surely it was the same straight and mighty figure, and there wasthe marvelous swordplay as well. It must be he, and yet Roger de Conde hadspoken no English while this man spoke it well, though, it was truthful, with aslight French accent.