es, and other garments, evidently belonging to
the retainers of the house. Walter and Ralph were not long in
transmogrifying their appearance, and had soon the air of two
respectable serving-men in a Flemish household.

"But how are we to descend?" Ralph asked. "We can hardly hope to walk
down the stairs and make our escape without being seen, especially as
the doors will all be barred and bolted, seeing the tumult which is
raging outside."

"It all depends whether our means of escape are suspected," Walter
replied, "I should scarce think that they would be. The attention of
our pursuers was wholly taken up by Van Artevelde, and some minutes must
have passed before they followed us. No doubt they will search every
place in the house, and all within it will by this time have been
slaughtered. But they will scarce organize any special search for us.
All will be fully occupied with the exciting events which have taken
place, and as the casement by which we entered is closed it is scarcely
likely to occur to any one that we have escaped by that means. I will
listen first if the house is quiet. If so, we will descend and take
refuge in some room below, where there is a better chance of concealment
than here. Put the pieces of armour into that closet so that they may
not catch the eye of any who may happen to come hither. The day is
already closing. In half an hour it will be nightfall. Then we will try
and make our way out."

Listening at the top of the stairs they could hear voices below; but as
the gallery was quiet and deserted they made their way a floor lower,
and seeing an open door entered it. Walter looked from the window.

"There is a back-yard below," he said, "with a door opening upon a
narrow lane. We are now upon the second storey, and but some twenty-five
feet above the ground. We will not risk going down through the house,
which could scarce be accomplished without detection, but will at once
tear up into strips the coverings of the bed, and I will make a rope by
which we may slip down into the courtyard as soon as it is dark. We must
hope that none will come up before that time; but, indeed, all will be
so full of the news of the events which have happened that it is scarce
likely that any will come above at present."

The linen sheets and coverings were soon cut up and knotted together in
a rope. By the time that this was finished the darkness was closing in,
and after waiting patiently for a few minute