pered
Renard, "he may yet betray us. He must not return to the palace."

"He shall never return, my lords," said a tall, dark man, advancing
towards them, "if you will entrust his detention to me."

"Who are you?" demanded Renard, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Lawrence Nightgall, the chief gaoler."

"What is your motive for this offer?"

"Look there!" returned Nightgall. "I love that damsel. He has supplanted
me, but he shall not profit by his good fortune."

"You are the very man I want!" cried Renard, rubbing his hands
gleefully. "Lead me where we can speak more freely."

The three withdrew unobserved. Half an hour later Cuthbert dragged
himself unwillingly from Cicely's side and passed into the open air. As
he did so he received a blow on the back of his head which stretched him
unconscious on the ground.

When he came to his senses he found himself bound by a chain in a gloomy
dungeon, a ghastly, dreadful place, but a few feet in height. His first
instinct was to try to loosen his bonds, but after vainly lacerating his
hands he sank down exhausted.

Terrible recollections flashed upon his mind of the pitiless sufferings
he had heard that the miserable wretches immured in these dungeons
endured before death.

For a time these mental tortures were acute; but at last nature asserted
herself, and he sank exhausted into sleep. He was awakened by a cry, and
perceived the tall, skeleton figure of a woman standing by him. She
placed a thin and bony hand upon his shoulder. He shrank back as far as
his chain would permit, horror-stricken. The figure pursued him,
shrieking, "My child! My child! You have taken my child!"

Suddenly she stopped and stood erect. A distant footstep was heard.

"He comes! He comes!" she cried, and with a loud shriek dashed from the
dungeon and disappeared.

In another second Nightgall stood before him. The gaoler made no attempt
to disguise the motives which prompted him to imprison the young
esquire. No threats that Cuthbert could use had the least effect on him.
He quailed before the charge that Cuthbert made at random--that he had
murdered the child of the unfortunate wretch who had disappeared at his
coming, but on the question of his release he was obdurate. If Cuthbert
would agree to give up Cicely he should be released; otherwise he should
meet with a secret death at the hands of Mauger, the executioner.

At this juncture, Cicely, who had been directed by the dwarf, Xit,
appeare