"Yes," said Lalor calmly, as if he were exhibiting a curiosity, "this is your friend to whom you owe your escape. She was doubtless to have received a reward, and in any case we shall give her a fine one. But if you will return to your protector, and come with me immediately on board the good ship _Golden Hind_, which in some considerable danger, is beating off and on between the heads of Killantringen--then I promise you, you will save the life of our friend Kate here. If not----" (He waved his hand expressively.) "You dare not kill her," cried Irma; "in an hour the country will be up, and you will be hunted like dogs." "Oh, it is not I," said Lalor calmly, "I do not love the shedding of blood, and that is why I am here now. But consider those stout fellows yonder. They are restive at having to wait for their pay, and the loss of their captain, wounded in aiding me in obtaining my rights in a quiet and peaceable manner, has by no means soothed them. I advise you, Mistress Irma, to bring down the boy and let us get on board while there is yet time. No one in the house shall be harmed. But listen to Kate--Kate of the Shore. She will speak to you better than I! But first we must perform a little surgical operation!" And with that he whipped out a bandanna handkerchief, which had been knotted and thrust into her mouth in the manner of a gag. "Now then," he said, "put a pistol to her head, Evans! Now, Kate, you have told many lies about your master, the late Governor of the fortress of Dinant. Speak the truth for once in a way. For if you do not tell these foolish children that they have nothing to fear--nay more, if you cannot persuade them to quit their foolish conduct and return to their rightful duty and obedience, it will be my painful duty to ask Evans there, who does not love you as I do, to--well, you know what will happen when that pistol goes off!" But even in such straits Kate of the Shore was not to be frightened. "You hear me, Miss Irma," she said, "I know this bad man. He is only seeking to betray you as he betrayed me. Defend your castle. Open not a window--keep the doors barred. They cannot take the place in the time, for they have the tide to think of." "I expected this," said Lalor, with a vaguely pensive air, "it has ever been my lot to be calumniated, my motives suspected. But I have indeed deserved other things--especially from you, Irma, whom (though your senior in years, and during the minority of my ward Sir Louis, the head of the house), I have always treated with affectionate and, perhaps, too respectful deference!" "Miss Irma," cried Kate of the Shore, "take care of that man. He has a pistol ready. I can see the hilt of it in his pocket. You he will not harm if he can help it, but if that be your brother whom I see at the fold of the window-hanging, bid him stand back for his life."