ow heard as of a body of men pressing forward to take possession
of the passage; and tramp, tramp came the sounds of the marching
invaders over the hollow-sounding wood. All was still silent within the
castle, and the sound of the procession continued. In an instant, a
dense, dark body issued from the fir-wood, and rushed with heavy
impetuous force on the rear of the corps that were passing into the
castle; and, simultaneously with that movement, the whole body of the
men within the castle pressed forward to the end of the bridge, and met
the front of the intruders, who were thus hedged in by two forces that
had taken them by surprise, in both front and rear.

"Caught in our own snare!" cried the voice of old Otterstone.

"Disarm them," sounded shrilly from the lips of Katherine Kennedy.

And a scuffle of wrestling men sent its fearful, deathlike sound through
the dark ballium. The strife was short and comparatively silent. The men
who had rushed from the wood, and who were no other than the absent
retainers of Innerkepple, coming from behind, and those within the
strength meeting them in front, produced such an alarm in the enclosed
troops, that the arms were taken from their hands as if they had been
struck with palsy. Every two men seized their prisoner, while some
holding burning torches came running forward, to show the revengeful
baron the full extent of his shame. Ranged along the court, the
spectacle presented by the prisoners was striking and grotesque. Their
eyes sought in surprise the form of a female, who, with a sword in one
hand and a torch in the other, stood in front of them, as the genius of
their misfortune.

The hall door was now opened, where the old baron still sat sound asleep
in his chair, unconscious of all these proceedings. The prisoners were
led into the spacious apartment, and ranged along the sides in long
ranks. Innerkepple rubbed his eyes, stared, rubbed them again, and
seemed lost in perfect bewilderment. All was conducted in dumb show. The
proud and revengeful Otterstone was placed alongside of the good baron,
his enemy; and Kate smiled as she contemplated the strange looks which
the two rivals threw upon each other.

"Right happy am I," said Katherine, coming forward in the midst of the
assembly, "to meet my good friends, the noble Otterstone and his men, in
my father's hall, under the auspices of a healing friendship. Father, I
offer thee the hand of Otterstone. Otterstone, I offer