se.

'Yield, Mac Donalbain, the victory is ours!' cried Arwed, attacking
him.

'It is better to die by the sword of a brave nobleman than upon the
scaffold!' exclaimed Mac Donalbain, suddenly exposing his uncovered
breast to Arwed's blade.

'God forbid!' cried Arwed, checking the descending blow. 'I am no
murderer!' But at that moment Megret, having disencumbered himself of
his troublesome opponents, hurled the Scot to the earth.

'At last!' triumphantly exclaimed Megret, setting his foot upon the
breast of his fallen foe and slowly raising his sword for the
death-stroke with an infernal smile....

At that moment a woman in a peasant's dress and with a child in her
arms, rushed forward with an agonizing shriek. Wildly floated the rich
blond locks about her white forehead, which strangely contrasted with
the bloom of the rosy faced infant. 'Christine!' cried the terrified
Arwed.

'Mercy!' shrieked the unhappy woman. 'Mercy for my husband, for the
father of this child!'

'You know not what you ask, madam Mac Donalbain!' said Megret,
scornfully. 'Whoever is well disposed towards you and your house,
cannot do a better thing than speedily to help you to a widow's veil.'
He aimed a blow,--but Arwed opportunely struck up his sword and forced
him back.

'Mac Donalbain is a prisoner!' cried the youth with noble indignation.
'From this moment he stands under the protection of the law, to which
he is amenable, and you have no right to take his life.'

'Ah, Arwed, you are indeed always yourself!' sobbed Christine, falling
at his feet with her child.

'Such generous subtlety,' said Megret, putting up his sword, 'becomes
loathsome to me when practically applied in the important affairs of
life.'

'In this case, generosity is more cruel than malignity!' cried Mac
Donalbain, closing his eyes from exhaustion by loss of blood.

Meantime the right had fully conquered. Fifteen of the robbers had
fallen in the fight, and seven had madly thrown themselves from the
summit and found the death they hoped to escape, upon the sharp cliffs
of Ravensten. The remainder, twelve in number, struck with terror by
the fall of their chief, threw down their arms and begged for mercy.

Whilst Megret caused the prisoners to be bound together in couples, Mac
Donalbain was by Arwed's direction conveyed into the lower vault of the
tower, and his wounds taken care of.

Arwed then turned to Christine, who had followed them to the tower.
'Wretc