The Outlaw of Torn

this cruel task. Too far he had gone, however, to back down now, and, had he left the Lady Maud alive, the whole of th

ight. So fearful was he of the terrible De Vac that a threat of death easily stilled h

otton wimple low over his head and forehead to hide his short hair. Concealing the child beneath the other articles of clothing, he pushed off from the bank, and, rowing close to the shore, hastened down the Thame

arch would be on for the little lost Prince at any moment, and that none migh

garments, which had been wrapped in the bundle hidden beneath the thwart; a little red c

uge stone torn from the disintegrating masonry of the riv

d not to intend harming him, the little fellow commenced questioning his grim companion, h

o the King's, my father's palace. I like not this dark

you a king's son. Remember these two things well, nor ever again le

ened-just a poor little baby, helpless and hopeless in the hands of this cruel enemy-all his royalty as nothing, all gone with the silke

of the dock and, gathering the sleeping child in his arms, stood listen

his attentive ears; louder and louder it grew until there

of armored knights and men-at-arms clanked out upon the planks above him from the mouth of the dark alley. Here t

it? Can it be that the Queen is right and that

the case, could more easily and safely have dispatched him within the gardens had that been the object of this strange attack. I think, My Lord, that presently we shall hear from some bold adventurer who holds the little Prince for ransom. God give that suc

feet, and the voices above him had awakened the little Prince and, with a startled cry, he sat upright in the bottom of the skiff.

, My Lord?" cried on

for a repetition of the sound

s it beneath the dock? Answe

but De Vac's ruthless hand crushed out the weak efforts of the babe, and all was

d them to protect his own, two huge rats scurried upward from

ents with mine own eyes. Come, let us to the next vile alley. We have met with no success here, though that old hag who

er in the ears of the listeners beneath th

further noises occurring to frighten him, he soon reached the door to Til's house and, insertin

s of a wooden ladder which De Vac pulled up after him, closing and securing the aperture, thr

lding, and had windows upon three sides. These were heavily curtained. The apartmen

ters unceiled; the whole bearing a mos

ble, and two benches completed the furnishings. These articles De Vac had purchas

ney, a pitcher of milk and two drinking horns. To these, De Vac immediate

dity upon the strange, rough fare, made doubly coarse by the rude utensils and t

ort, which he had overheard at the dock, convinced him that here was one more obstacle to the fulfillment of his revenge which must be removed as had the Lad

ad as he was in the mantle and wimple of an old woman, Til did not, at first, recognize him, and when he spoke, she burst into a nervous, cackl

old hag?

he river, My Lord," she replied, with more

, perchance, you can give me a hand with some packag

one thinking of the vast reward the King would lavish upon her for the information she felt sure she a

ripped the keen blade and, as the woman halted on the dock, the point that hovered just below her left shoulder-blade plung

ith a push from De Vac, the body lunged forward into the Thames, where a dull splash marked t