"Do thou go, good Michael, to yon door, and see if there be any one within the room behind it." "Oi will, sor." And he crossed the inner room in three good lengthy strides. This door was unfastened, so he opened it as he had done the other, except that this one opened towards him, and still stood he upon the threshold. "Sure, yer honour, thare's anither door here, sor." "Open it also, Michael;" though the next moment I had rather have cut the tongue from my throat than have uttered those words. Michael had just disappeared into this second unexplored room when, with a crash, the door that had remained closed in the room adjoining where Hazel and I waited flew open, and several armed men rushed in. "Beware Michael! come back! come back!" I cried in warning. Ere he could obey, however, the door was closed and securely locked and barred behind him. At the same instant the room in which I stood was filled with soldiers, which entered by the other doors. "Come on, ye pack of cowards! Why do ye hesitate? Do ye fear the single sword of one good knight? Come on, I say, ye pack of sneaking wolves that fear to attack, and yet stand in a circle round and growl!" I cried in defiance at them. [Illustration: "Come on, ye pack of cowards."] There must have been well nigh a score; something more than half in my room, and the others in the room betwixt Michael and us. The giant now thundered at the separating door, and swore an unceasing stream of oaths of vengeance. This door, however, was a heavy oaken one, and withstood even Michael's mighty assault with great endurance. Still the soldiers stood waiting, swords in hands. Presently, with leisurely, swinging stride and clanking armour, a smile of triumph on his sneering face, entered my dearest foe, Catesby. With a courtly bow, accompanied by a graceful wave of the hand, he saluted Hazel, who, with great calmness, stood with clenched hands and firm-pressed lips behind her barricade. "Welcome, my dear lady, to this house that taketh in poor troubled refugees. Methinks the directions in my poor note must have been clear; for my guests have arrived even earlier than I had expected," said he, as he folded his arms and regarded us with a smile of satisfaction. "Cease thine insolence, thou false and degraded knight, and draw thy sword and fight me like a man, and do not further stain thy name by setting upon a gentleman a band of coward ruffians!" "Nay, nay, Sir Walter, we have twice crossed swords ere this, and on both occasions thou didst have the better of me. Verily, thou must be selfish to ever desire to play the victor's part. Oh, no!" he added with a laugh, "I now do hold the stronger hand, and it should be casting an insult upon the Goddess of Fortune to thus throw aside her bounteous gift of advantage.