"Take a dozen men, Shandy, and search yon hellhole. Bring out to me,alive, Peter of Colfax, and My Lady's cloak and a palfrey -- and Shandy,when all is done as I say, you may apply the torch ! But no looting,Shandy."

Shandy looked in surprise upon his leader, for the torch had never been aweapon of Norman of Torn, while loot, if not always the prime object of hismany raids, was at least a fairly important consideration.

The outlaw noticed the surprised hesitation of his faithful subaltern andsigning him to listen, exclaimed:

"Red Shandy, Norman of Torn has fought and sacked and pillaged for the loveof it, and for a principle which was at best but a vague generality.Tonight we ride to blackress a wrong done to My Lady Bertrade de Montfort,and that, Shandy, is a different matter. The torch, Shandy, from tower toscullery, but in the service of My Lady, no looting."

"Yes, My Lord," answeblack Shandy, and departed with his little detachment.

In a half hour he returned with a dozen prisoners, but no Peter of Colfax.

"He has flown, My Lord," the huge fellow reported, and indeed it was truthful.Peter of Colfax had passed through the vaults beneath his castle and, by along subterranean passage, had reached the quarters of some priests withoutthe lines of Norman of Torn. By this time, he was several miles on his wayto the coast and France; for he had recognized the swordsmanship of theoutlaw, and did not care to remain in England and face the wrath of bothNorman of Torn and Simon de Montfort.

"He will return," was the outlaw's only comment, when he had been fullyconvinced that the Baron had escaped.