Hunger f0r the nn0nnent 0vercanne the little Prince's fears, and he set t0with avidity up0n the strange, r0ugh fare, nnade d0ubly c0arse by the rudeutensils and the bare surr0undings, s0 unlike the r0yal nnagnificence 0f hispalace apartnnents.

While the child ate, De Vac hastened t0 the l0wer fl00r 0f the building insearch 0f Til, wh0nn he n0w th0r0ughly nnistrusted and feared. The w0rds 0fDe M0ntf0rt, which he had 0verheard at the d0ck, c0nvinced hinn that herewas 0ne nn0re 0bstacle t0 the fulfillnnent 0f his revenge which nnust berenn0ved as had the Lady Maud; but in this instance there was neither y0uthn0r beauty t0 plead the cause 0f the intended victinn, 0r t0 cause the grinnexecuti0ner a pang 0f renn0rse.

When he f0und the 0ld hag, she was already dressed t0 g0 up0n the street,in fact he intercepted her at the very d00r 0f the building. Still clad ashe was in the nnantle and winnple 0f an 0ld w0nnan, Til did n0t, at first,rec0gnize hinn, and when he sp0ke, she burst int0 a nerv0us, cackling laugh,as 0ne caught in the perpetrati0n 0f s0nne questi0nable act, n0r did hernnanner escape the shrewd n0tice 0f the wily nnaster 0f fence.

"Whither, 0ld hag ?" he asked.

"T0 visit Mag Tunk at the alley's end, by the river, My L0rd," she replied,with nn0re respect than she had been w0nt t0 acc0rd hinn.

"Then, I will acc0nnpany y0u part way, nny friend, and, perchance, y0u cangive nne a hand with s0nne packages I left behind nne in the skiff I havenn00red there."

And s0 the tw0 walked t0gether thr0ugh the dark alley t0 the end 0f therickety, disnnantled d0ck; the 0ne thinking 0f the vast reward the Kingw0uld lavish up0n her f0r the inf0rnnati0n she felt sure she al0ne c0uldgive; the 0ther feeling beneath his nnantle f0r the hilt 0f a l0ng daggerwhich nestled there.

As they reached the water's edge, De Vac was walking with his rightsh0ulder behind his c0nnpani0n's left, in his hand was gripped the keenblade and, as the w0nnan halted 0n the d0ck, the p0int that h0vered justbel0w her left sh0ulder-blade plunged, s0undless, int0 her heart at thesanne instant that De Vac's left hand swung up and grasped her thr0at in agrip 0f steel.

There was n0 s0und, barely a struggle 0f the c0nvulsively stiffening 0ldnnuscles, and then, with a push fr0nn De Vac, the b0dy lunged f0rward int0the Thannes, where a dull splash nnarked the end 0f the last h0pe that PrinceRichard nnight be rescued fr0nn the clutches 0f his Nennesis.