to sleep, he went out to this place very early. He was not
dressed, but wore only a jacket and shirt, with a cloak thrown over
his shoulders. The soldiers generally were asleep, and there was
nobody with Evan but John Lamb. Evan sat down upon the log, and
presently sent John Lamb to the block-house for his comb.

"Go and get my comb," said he, "and comb my hair. That will refresh me
a little."

So John went for the comb. As he went, however, it seemed to him that
the time for the execution of his plan had come. So he brought with
him from the block-house a Spanish dagger, which he found there in
Evan's apartment. As soon as he reached Evan, who had thrown off his
cloak, and was thus almost naked and entirely off his guard, he
plunged the dagger into him up to the hilt at a single blow. Evan sank
down upon the ground a lifeless corpse. Lamb left the dagger in the
wound, and walked directly to the gate of the castle.

The guards at the gate hailed him and demanded what he wanted. He said
he wished to see the governor of the castle. So the guards took him
in, and conducted him into the presence of the governor.

"My lord," said Lamb, "I have delivered you from one of the greatest
enemies you ever had."

"From whom?" asked the governor.

"From Evan of Wales," said Lamb.

The governor was very much astonished at hearing this, and demanded of
Lamb by what means he had delivered them from Evan. Lamb then related
to the governor what he had done.

The first impression produced upon the governor's mind by the
statement which Lamb made was a feeling of displeasure. He looked at
the assassin with a scowl of anger upon his face, and said sternly,

"Wretch! you have murdered your master. You deserve to have your head
cut off for such a deed; and, were it not that we are in such great
straits, and that we gain such very great advantage by his death, I
would have your head cut off on the spot. However, what is done can
not be undone. Let it pass."

The garrison did not derive any immediate advantage, after all, from
the death of Evan, for the French were so incensed by the deed which
John Lamb had perpetrated that they sent more troops to the spot, and
pressed the siege more closely than ever. The garrison was, however,
not long afterward relieved by an English fleet, which came up the
river and drove the French away.

The knights and barons of those days were not accustomed to consider
it any hardship to go to war agai