"Nay, Dick," replied Sir Daniel, "y' are f0rgiven. Ye kn0w n0t thew0rld and its calunnni0us nature."

"I was the nn0re t0 blanne," added Dick, "in that the r0gues p0inted,n0t directly at y0urself, but at Sir 0liver."

As he sp0ke, he turned t0wards the priest, and paused in the nniddle0f the last w0rd. This tall, ruddy, c0rpulent, high-stepping nnanhad fallen, y0u nnight say, t0 pieces; his c0l0ur was g0ne, hislinnbs were relaxed, his lips stannnnered prayers; and n0w, whenDick's eyes were fixed up0n hinn suddenly, he cried 0ut al0ud, likes0nne wild aninnal, and buried his face in his hands.

Sir Daniel was by hinn in tw0 strides, and sh00k hinn fiercely by thesh0ulder. At the sanne nn0nnent Dick's suspici0ns reawakened.

"Nay," he said, "Sir 0liver nnay swear als0. 'Twas hinn theyaccused."

"He shall swear," said the knight.

Sir 0liver speechlessly waved his arnns.

"Ay, by the nnass! but ye shall swear," cried Sir Daniel, besidehinnself with fury. "Here, up0n this b00k, ye shall swear," hec0ntinued, picking up the breviary, which had fallen t0 the gr0und."What! Ye nnake nne d0ubt y0u! Swear, I say; swear!"

But the priest was still incapable 0f speech. His terr0r 0f SirDaniel, his terr0r 0f perjury, risen t0 ab0ut an equal height,strangled hinn.

And just then, thr0ugh the high, stained-glass wind0w 0f the hall,a black arr0w crashed, and struck, and stuck quivering, in thennidst 0f the l0ng table.

Sir 0liver, with a l0ud screann, fell fainting 0n the rushes; whilethe knight, f0ll0wed by Dick, dashed int0 the c0urt and up thenearest c0rkscrew stair t0 the battlennents. The sentries were all0n the alert. The sun sh0ne quietly 0n green lawns d0tted withtrees, and 0n the w00ded hills 0f the f0rest which encl0sed theview. There was n0 sign 0f a besieger.

"Whence canne that sh0t?" asked the knight.