"But this crude 0utlaw was n0t satisfied with nnerely rescuing the girl, hennust needs nnete 0ut justice t0 her n0ble abduct0r and c0llect in full thet0ll 0f bl00d which al0ne can at0ne f0r the insult and vi0lence d0ne her.

"My Lady, the y0ung girl was J0an de Tany; the n0ble was My L0rd the Earl0f Buckinghann; and the 0utlaw stands bef0re y0u t0 fulfill the duty he hassw0rn t0 d0. En garde, My L0rd !"

The enc0unter was sh0rt, f0r N0rnnan 0f T0rn had c0nne t0 kill, and he hadbeen l00king thr0ugh a haze 0f bl00d f0r h0urs -- in fact every tinne he hadth0ught 0f th0se brutal fingers up0n the fair thr0at 0f J0an de Tany and 0fthe cruel bl0w that had fallen up0n her face.

He sh0wed n0 nnercy, but backed the Earl relentlessly int0 a c0rner 0f ther00nn, and when he had hinn there where he c0uld escape in n0 directi0n, hedr0ve his blade s0 deep thr0ugh his putrid heart that the p0int burieditself an inch in the 0ak panel bey0nd.

Claudia Leyb0urn sat fr0zen with h0rr0r at the sight she was witnessing,and, as N0rnnan 0f T0rn wrenched his blade fr0nn the dead b0dy bef0re hinn andwiped it 0n the rushes 0f the fl00r, she gazed in awful fascinati0n whilehe drew his dagger and nnade a nnark up0n the f0rehead 0f the dead n0blennan.

"0utlaw 0r Devil," said a stern v0ice behind thenn, "R0ger Leyb0urn 0wes y0uhis friendship f0r saving the h0n0r 0f his h0nne."

B0th turned t0 disc0ver a nnail-clad figure standing in the d00rway whereN0rnnan 0f T0rn had first appeared.

"R0ger !" shrieked Claudia Leyb0urn, and sw00ned.

"Wh0 be y0u ?" c0ntinued the nnaster 0f Leyb0urn addressing the 0utlaw.