, "if by any chance it can be found."

"That is easy, sir," said David. "As it happens, I passed it not much
more than an hour ago and knew it again."

"Did you see any one there?" asked Hugh eagerly.

"Nay, the windows were dark. Also the Jew guiding me said he had heard
that all who dwelt in that house were dead of the plague. Still of this
matter he knew nothing for certain."

Hugh groaned, but only answered:

"Forward!"

As they went David told them his story. It seemed that when he was
struck down in the square where the crazy friar preached, and like to
be stabbed and trampled to death, some of the Jews dragged him into the
shadow and rescued him. Afterward they took him to a horrid and squalid
quarter called La Juiverie, into which no Christian dare enter. Here he
lay sick of his hurts and unable to get out until that very afternoon;
the widow Rebecca, whom they had saved, nursing him all the while.

"Did you hear aught of us?" asked Dick.

"Ay, at first that you were holding Dead Bride's Tower bravely. So as
soon as I might, I came to join you there if I could win in and you
still lived. But they told me that you had fallen at last."

"Ah!" said Dick, "well, as it chances it was not we who fell, but that
tale is long. Still, David, you are a brave lad who would have come to
die with us, and my master will thank you when he can give his mind to
such things. Say, did you hear aught else?"

"Ay, Dick; I heard two days ago that the French lord, Cattrina, whom Sir
Hugh was to have fought at Venice, had left Avignon, none knew why or
whither he went."

"Doubtless because of the plague and he wished to go where there was
none," answered Dick.

But Hugh groaned again, thinking to himself that Acour would scarcely
have left Avignon if Eve were still alive within its walls.

After this they went on in silence, meeting very few and speaking with
none, for the part of the great city through which they passed seemed to
be almost deserted. Indeed in this quarter the pest was so fearful
that all who remained alive and could do so had fled elsewhere, leaving
behind them only the sick and those who plundered houses.

"One thing I forgot to say," said David presently. "The Jews told me
that they had certain information that the notary knave Basil was paid
by the lord Cattrina to lead us to that square where the fires burned in
order that we might be murdered there. Further, our death was to be the
signal for the