"God be praised!" He put her quickly aside and strode to the bed. The heavy quilt was flung off, the sheets snatched up and knotted. "The chase is hard upon me. I must let you down through your window, my bird." He jerked at his knot. The horses were at hand, and trampling now as they were pulled up outside the lodge. Sir Nicholas reached the window, "Joshua?" "Ready, master!" came the stealthy whisper. He turned. "Come, fondling! Trust me to let you safely down." She let him lift her on to the window-ledge, but her hands clung to him. Downstairs blows were being rained on the shut door. "But you? But you?" "Never fear," he said. His voice was cool and reassuring. "Twist the sheet about your hands, so, and hold fast, child. Brave lass! Are you ready?" Clinging tightly to her improvised rope she was lowered over the sill, hung dangling on the end of the sheet, and was let down into Joshua's ready arms. He set her down, caught her hand, and led her away at the double across the garden to the hedge that shut it off from the forest. "Hist, hist for your life!" he breathed. "Do as I bid you, mistress, and not a word out of you!" Behind them the guards were in at the door of the lodge, stumbling over Don Diego's body. "Ah, he has been here, the villain!" cried Cruza. "He is here still! Search the house!" Upstairs Beauvallet tore the key from the lock of Dominica's door, and fitted it in again on the inside. He pulled the door to behind him just as Cruza came bounding up the stairs, a drawn sword in his hand. "Well met, Señor Cruza!" said Beauvallet cheerfully, and held sword and dagger ready. Cruza sent a shout echoing through the house. "To me! to me!" The men came stamping up the stairs. "Why, what a pack of you!" said Sir Nicholas, amused. "Yield you, señor!" Cruza cried. "You are outmatched!" "Yield?" said Sir Nicholas. Up went his comical eyebrow. "God's Son, Cruza, do you know who I am?" "You are El Beauvallet, and I have sworn to take you! We are six to your one. Yield, yield!" "You will be forsworn, good señor. I am El Beauvallet, so the odds are fair enough. Now who will take Nick Beauvallet?" He looked inquiringly, and wondered whether Joshua had got Dominica away yet. "Insolent dog!" Cruza dashed in with levelled sword. "On to him, and take him alive!" he cried. Sir Nicholas' blade swept a circle before him. He laughed and shook the sweat from his eyes. "Alas, alas, for vain ambition! So-so! What, winded, my man?" A guard fell back with a slash across the forearm. Sir Nicholas beat down a big double-edged sword, and slipped his dagger-hand behind him, feeling for the handle of the door. The Toledo blade bit shrewdly and sure indeed. Cruza staggered as the point went home in his shoulder, and recovered again. "Alive! I want him alive!" he gasped out.