and the last
time so that he had to be carried from the place by his legs and arms.

Howbeit, 'twas strange enough to see him here; and when, after the
maiden had left us (having restored us our swords under promise of
peace), I told him my story, he took my hand, and said, had he been in
my shoes, he had been a traitor too. Yet he thanked his God he stood in
his own.

And now, it may have been ten o'clock, there came a great shouting and
noise of guns from the outer walls, and presently Ludar came into the
hold, sword in hand, and told us that Captain Merriman and his soldiers
had arrived from Castleroe, and were preparing to assault the place.

"Humphrey," said he, "whate'er betide, I commit the maiden to your care,
till this fighting be over. This prisoner of mine," added he, pointing
to the soldier, "will also stand by you, unless I mistake him."

"Marry! so will I," said the man; "for a maiden in distress is no alien
to a true servant of the maiden Queen. Count on me for so much,
Captain."

"I do. Humphrey, I must go out and meet my enemy. He is in force, and
must be scattered before he can blockade our ill-provisioned hold.
Capture it he cannot; but he may starve it."

"Go then," said I. "Yet, will you not see the maiden first? She would
be sorry not to bid you god-speed."

He seemed for a moment as though he would refuse. Then a look of great
longing came into his face as he glanced up at the turret window.

While he debated, a messenger arrived with news that Alexander McDonnell
and his men were at hand, and that the English--seeing their constable
hang from the walls on one side (for we had found his body, and
displayed it thus as a signal of our triumph), and hearing the shouts of
the McDonnells on the other--were falling back, and making ready to turn
tail.

It was even so. While he spoke, we could see on the cliffs eastward the
McDonnell standard, and hear the shouts of Alexander's company as they
bore down upon the English, who for a moment ceased their assault on the
castle, and turned doubtfully to face them.

Ludar laughed.

"If Alexander be there," said he, "our minds may be easy. Call in our
men, and keep them within the walls. For he who yielded me the glory of
taking Dunluce, shall not be robbed by me of the glory of sending these
knaves packing. It needs not two McDonnells to do that. Humphrey see
to this, keep a watch how the battle goes, and come again presently.
You kn