urriedly returned, passed once more close below the lads, and
died away in the distance.

Here was a moment's respite. Dick breathed deep, and then, and not till
then, he gave ear to the disturbance which had interrupted the attack,
and which was now rather increasing than diminishing. All about the Moat
House feet were running, doors were opening and slamming, and still the
voice of Sir Daniel towered above all this bustle, shouting for
"Joanna."

"Joanna!" repeated Dick. "Why, who the murrain should this be? Here is
no Joanna, nor ever hath been. What meaneth it?"

Matcham was silent. He seemed to have drawn farther away. But only a
little faint starlight entered by the window, and at the far end of the
apartment where the pair were, the darkness was complete.

"Jack," said Dick, "I wot not where ye were all day. Saw ye this
Joanna?"

"Nay," returned Matcham, "I saw her not."

"Nor heard tell of her?" he pursued.

The steps drew nearer. Sir Daniel was still roaring the name of Joanna
from the courtyard.

"Did ye hear of her?" repeated Dick.

"I heard of her," said Matcham.

"How your voice twitters! What aileth you?" said Dick. "'Tis a most
excellent good fortune, this Joanna; it will take their minds from us."

"Dick," cried Matcham, "I am lost; we are both lost! Let us flee if
there be yet time. They will not rest till they have found me. Or, see!
let me go forth; when they have found me, ye may flee. Let me forth,
Dick; good Dick, let me away!"

She was groping for the bolt, when Dick at last comprehended.

"By the mass!" he cried, "y' are no Jack; y' are Joanna Sedley; y' are
the maid that would not marry me!"

The girl paused, and stood silent and motionless. Dick, too, was silent
for a little; then he spoke again.

"Joanna," he said, "y' have saved my life, and I have saved yours; and
we have seen blood flow, and been friends and enemies--ay, and I took my
belt to thrash you; and all that time I thought ye were a boy. But now
death has me, and my time's out, and before I die I must say this: Y'
are the best maid and the bravest under heaven, and, if only I could
live, I would marry you blithely; and, live or die, I love you."

She answered nothing.

"Come," he said, "speak up, Jack. Come, be a good maid, and say ye love
me!"

"Why, Dick," she cried, "would I be here?"

"Well, see ye here," continued Dick, "an we but escape whole, we'll
marry; and an we're to die, we die, and there's an e