father to seek the Tower of Morlon and
release a person confined there? But if I did that, the Captain would
hear, and suppose he killed my father as well as me! I held my tongue.

The Captain now maintained his position, neither giving ground nor
pressing forward. The two combatants were between me and the window,
through which still came sounds of struggle from the yard below. But
these sounds were fewer, except those of cheers, which grew more
frequent.

"Good! Our friends are gaining the day!" said my father to me.

"But you, Messieurs, shall not crow over it!" cried the Captain, and
made a long thrust, as swift as lightning. My father caught it on the
guard of his hilt, within short distance of his breast, at the same
instant stepping back. The Captain did not follow, but darted his sword
at me, with the cry, "Not for you the Countess!" I contracted my body
and thought myself done for. My father's impulsive forward movement,
however, disconcerted the Captain's arm in the very moment of his lunge,
and his point but feebly stung my side and flew back again, his guard
recovered none too soon to save himself. My father's thrusts became now
so quick and continuous that the Captain fell back to gain breath. My
father drove him to the wall. Shouting a curse, the Captain thrust for
my father's midriff. My father, with a swift movement, received the
sword between his arm and body, and at the same instant ran his own
rapier into the Captain's unguarded front, pushed it through his lung,
and pinned him to the wall.

[Illustration: "MY FATHER'S THRUSTS BECAME NOW SO QUICK AND
CONTINUOUS."]

The Captain's arms dropped, his head hung forward, and as soon as the
sword was drawn out, he tumbled lifeless to the floor.

My father leaned against the wall till he regained a little breath and
energy; then he wiped his brow and sword, and came over to me.

"How have they got you trussed up?" he asked. "And how came you into
their hands?--I should be amazed to find you here, if I hadn't seen
stranger things before now."

While he cut the cords that bound my ankles and wrists, I told him how I
had been waylaid. "I was going with food and wine to a friend who lies
locked in a deserted tower called Morlon. She is ill to death, and may
now be dead for lack of food and air to keep up her strength. I must go
to her--"

"A woman, then?"

"Yes, a lady: I will tell you all, but there is no time to lose now. The
tower is in this fores