that hours and hours passed, and I began to
wonder was daylight never going to come, when the most welcome sound I
ever heard was the well-known tones of a voice which came up from the
bottom of the well.

"Are you there, Mr. O'Ruddy?"

There was a subdued and chastened cadence in the inquiry that pleased
me.

"I am, and waiting for you."

"May I come up?"

"Yes, and very welcome; but you'll remember, Lord Strepp, that you
come up as a prisoner."

"I quite understand that, Mr. O'Ruddy."

So, as I held the candle, I saw the top of his head coming round and
round and round, and finally he stood before me stretching out his
sword, hilt forward.

"Stick it in its scabbard," said I, "and I'll do the same with mine."
Then I put out my hand, "Good morning to your lordship," I said. "It
seems to me I've been waiting here forty days and forty nights. Will
you have a sup of wine?"

"I would be very much obliged to you for it, Mr. O'Ruddy."

With that I called the nearest guard and bade him let nobody up the
stair without my knowing it.

"I suppose, my lord, you are better acquainted with this house than I
am; but I know a spot where there's a drop of good drink."

"You have discovered the old gentleman's cellar, then?"

"Indeed, Lord Strepp, I have not. I possess a cellar of my own. It's
you that's my guest, and not me that's yours on this occasion."

I poured him out a flagon, and then one for myself, and as we stood by
the table I lifted it high and said:

"Here's to our better acquaintance."

His lordship drank, and said with a wry face, as he put down the mug:

"Our acquaintance seems to be a somewhat tempestuous one; but I
confess, Mr. O'Ruddy, that I have as great a respect for your
generalship as I have for your swordsmanship. The wine is good and
revivifying. I've been in that accursed pit all night, and I came to
this end of it with greater reluctance than I expected to when I
entered the other. We tried to clear away the stones; but they must
have piled all the rocks in Sussex on top of us. Are your men toiling
there yet?"

"Yes, they're there, and I gave them instructions to work till
daylight."

"Well, Mr. O'Ruddy, my poor fellows are all half dead with fright, and
they fancy themselves choking; but although the place was foul enough
when we entered it, I didn't see much difference at the end. However,
I did see one thing, and that was that I had to come and make terms. I
want you to let th