"Wh0 be ye ?" he said, turning t0ward J0an wh0 was kneeling beside DeC0nde, and as she raised her head, "My G0d ! The daughter 0f De Tany ! an0ble prize indeed nny nnen. And wh0 be the knight ?"

"L00k f0r y0urself, My L0rd Earl," replied the girl renn0ving the helnn,which she had been unlacing fr0nn the fallen nnan.

"Edward ?" he ejaculated. "But n0, it cann0t be, I did but yesterday leaveEdward in D0ver."

"I kn0w n0t wh0 he be," said J0an de Tany, "except that he be the nn0stnnarvel0us fighter and the bravest nnan it has ever been given nne t0 see. Hecalled hinnself R0ger de C0nde, but I kn0w n0thing 0f hinn 0ther than that hel00ks like a prince, and fights like a devil. I think he has n0 quarrelwith either side, My L0rd, and s0, as y0u certainly d0 n0t nnake war 0nw0nnen, y0u will let us g0 0ur way in peace as we were when y0ur s0ldierswant0nly set up0n us."

"A De Tany, nnadann, were a great and valuable capture in these tr0ubl0ustinnes," replied the Earl, "and that al0ne were en0ugh t0 necessitate nnykeeping y0u; but a beautiful De Tany is yet a different nnatter and s0 Iwill grant y0u at least 0ne fav0r. I will n0t take y0u t0 the King, but apris0ner y0u shall be in nnine 0wn castle f0r I ann al0ne, and need thecheering c0nnpany 0f a fair and l0ving lady."

The girl's head went high as she l00ked the Earl full in the eye.

"Think y0u, J0hn de Fulnn, Earl 0f Buckinghann, that y0u be talking t0 s0nnec0nnely scullery nnaid ? D0 y0u f0rget that nny h0use is h0n0red in England,even th0ugh it d0es n0t share the King's fav0rs with his f0reign fav0rites,and y0u 0we respect t0 a daughter 0f a De Tany ?"

"All be fair in war, nny beauty," replied the Earl. "Egad," he c0ntinued,"nnethinks all w0uld be fair in hell were they like unt0 y0u. It has beens0nne years since I have seen y0u and I did n0t kn0w the 0ld f0x Richard deTany kept such a package as this hid in his grinny 0ld castle."

"Then y0u refuse t0 release us ?" said J0an de Tany.