"I've read the signals, madam," said Dr. Boyes. "I'll help." Lancaster was at hand dragging the coil of rope, and Mistress Sarah seized the turk's head--a large knot finishing the end. Five feet from that she bent a half-hitch. "Dr. Boyes, lift him by the arms! There--" She passed the rope under her brother's back, slipped the turk's head through the ring of her knot, hauled taut, and had a sling under Brand's armpits ready. Breathing hard, she took up a coil of rope and passed it round the heavy iron guard-bar outside the window. She made the loose end of the rope well fast to the bar. "Lad," she said quickly to Lancaster, "lift his feet as I haul; lift him half out through the window." Dr. Boyes laid on to the rope behind her, while Lancaster gently guided the master's body outwards until it swung clear, suspended by the armpits. Then the rope was lowered away until the weight was taken by the rock ledge fifty feet below. "Dr. Boyes," cried the woman, "leave the house at once--get to safety outside. His life depends on yours--you'll send down food, and you will rescue him. Lad--down the rope with you!" Dr. Boyes ran to get the servants out of the house. "Lad, get down that rope." "Madam, I help you first." "My place is here--get down, and I'll lower some bedding. Get down, I say! He may die before you can reach him." Lancaster swung himself out against the moonlight and the sea, and once again the waves below beat in their slow monotony, the little waves of time, beating against the eternities from everlasting to everlasting. The woman breathed a great sigh of content, reaching out her arms to grasp the bar, and swing out upon the rope. Even then a new star shone in the heavens, a growing glory lighting her red hair, her violet robes, and finding majesty in her hard face. The earth was calling the _Lion_--rammed in mid-air--the wind raged against her flanks, she was red hot, she blazed white, and as a falling star, cast her fierce splendour over land and sea, attended by rushing hurricanes of wind, winged with the souls of dying men, and freighted with the bodies of the dead. Then in a crash of thunder the light went out, and again the moon was shining on a silver sea, grey cliffs, lonely, desolate and gaunt, crowned by a column of dust where a house had been. And the little waves crept up one by one out of silence, to beat out their lives against the eternal walls. XVI THE QUEEN'S DAYS The 18th--19th--20th and 21st of June are known as the Queen's days, a time of quiet in the Palace, while Margaret was sheltered by the love of her servants from all the horrors of the blood-stained world. Outside the guarded walls reason had fled from the earth and our humane civilization seemed to be dying.