a lady leaning against the battlements; she was deadly pale, but
her face still bore a look of calm determination. In her hands she
held a dagger; clinging to her was a girl of some fifteen years
of age.

"Thank God, madam, that we have arrived in time!" Hector exclaimed.

"Just in time, monsieur; we had given up all hope, when, as if
sent by God, we saw your little band appear riding towards us.
Even then I hardly ventured to hope; it seemed well nigh impossible
that six men should be able to clear a way through so many. Only
two of my faithful retainers still held the stairs, and it was but
too evident that these could not resist much longer; when one more
had fallen I had resolved to plunge this dagger into my daughter's
heart and then into my own. Death would have been a thousand times
preferable to falling into the hands of these wretches."

"How long have you been beleaguered, madam?"

"My men have been fighting for four hours. For upwards of three
hours they did well, for the peasants, being unable to use their
weapons, frequently drew back. Then they hit upon the device of
fastening a hook to the end of a pole, and, catching this round the
leg of one of the defenders, dragged him down, and then despatched
him with their knives. One by one four of my men were killed. For
the last half hour the two who remained stood back, one at each
side of the doorway, so that they could not be so entrapped, and
slew those who, mounting the stairs, tried to rush past them.
Both were sorely spent, and the end must have come soon had you
not appeared. Whom have I to thank for this unlooked for deliverance?"