hour of twelve, his young friend Reuben signified his readiness to
accompany him on his adventure.

"Farewell!" he cried; "I owe you a debt that nothing can repay. But
believe me that your kindness will always dwell in the heart of
Clarence Landon."

Reuben and the Englishman were soon in the governor's garden. It was
pitch dark, and they advanced cautiously, groping their way. All at
once Landon stumbled against some person.

"Is it you, Reuben?" said he, in a low tone.

But he was instantly grasped by the throat. Dealing his unknown
assailant a blow with his clinched hand, which made him release his
hold, the Englishman instantly drew his sword and threw himself on
guard. His steel was crossed by another blade, and a fierce encounter
ensued, the combatants being practised swordsmen, and guided, in the
dark, by what swordsmen term the "perception of the blade." Reuben had
made his escape, and gone to inform his father of this new disaster.
The struggle was brief, for the antagonist of Landon, closing at the
peril of his life, and being a man of herculean strength, wrested the
sword from the Englishman's grasp, and held him at his mercy.

"Now, dog!" whispered the victor, "have you any thing to offer why I
should not take your life as a minion of the tyrant Rodrigo?"

"I scorn to ask my life of an unknown assassin," replied Landon; "but
I am no minion of Rodrigo's, and I was even now seeking to escape his
clutches."

"If there was light here," said the stranger, "I could see whether you
lied, friend, by your looks. You may be palming off a tale upon me.
How did you propose to escape Rodrigo?"

"By making my way through his house," answered Landon.

"A likely tale. How are you to gain access to his house?"

"A waiting maid was to let me in."

"Well, I'll test your veracity. I have your life in my hands. You are
unarmed; I have rapier and dagger. The experiment costs me nothing."

"It would be idle in me to interrogate you," said Landon; "it would be
idle to ask who you are."

"I will answer you frankly," replied the stranger; "I am one of those
freebooters whose fortunes are their swords. If I were in Rodrigo's
power, my life would not be worth five minutes' purchase; and yet I am
seeking him to-night."

"You speak in riddles."

"Perhaps; but be silent now, if you value your life, and follow me."

The stranger, still retaining a firm grasp upon the luckless Landon,
approached a door which led into th