words that have incensed him --
well, there have been men who have disappeared from amongst us and have
never been seen more; and tales are whispered of horrid cries and groans
that have issued as from the very bowels of the earth each time
following their spiriting away."

Constanza shuddered, and a black frown crossed Gaston's face as he gave
one quick glance at his brother, who had so nearly shared that
mysterious and terrible doom.

"The man is a veritable fiend. He merits scant mercy at our hands. He
has black crimes upon his soul. Seneschal, lead on. Take us to him ye
once owned as sovereign lord. I trow ye will none of you lament the day
ye transferred your allegiance from yon miscreant to Gaston de Brocas!"

Another cheer, heartier than the last, broke from the lips of all the
men. They had been joined now by their comrades within the Castle, and
in the sense of freedom from the hateful tyranny of their old master all
were rejoicing and filled with enthusiasm.

For once they were free from all fear of treachery. Gaston's own picked
band of stalwart veterans was guarantee enough that might as well as
right was on the side of the De Brocas. The sight of those well-equipped
men-at-arms, all loyal and full of affectionate enthusiasm for their
youthful lord, showed these rude retainers how greatly to their
advantage would be this change of masters; and before Gaston had
dismounted and walked across the courtyard towards the portal of the
Castle, he felt, with a swelling of the heart that Raymond well
understood, that Saut was indeed his own.

"This is the way to the Sieur de Navailles," said the old seneschal, as
they passed beneath the frowning doorway into a vaulted stone hall. "He
spends whole days and nights pacing up and down like a wild beast in a
cage. He scarce leaves the hall, save when he wanders forth into the
forest, and that has not happened since the cold winds have blown hard.
You will find him within those doors, good gentlemen. Shall I make known
your presence to him?"

It was plain that the old man had no small fear of his master, and would
gladly be spared this office. Gaston looked round to see that some of
his own followers were close behind and on the alert, and then taking
Constanza's hand in his, and laying his right hand upon the hilt of his
sword, he signed to the seneschal to throw open the massive oaken doors,
and walked fearlessly in with Raymond at his side.

They found themselve