Tudor Jenks

“ The Count has effected a lodgment, and bids fair to go further. What say you, Friar Bacon—what say you, Hugh?"
There was a long silence, for although it had been decided that it was best the young girl should go upon her dangerous mission, yet when the moment came, all hesitated. At length the Friar answered,
"We have lost lives in defense of the castle, and shall—unless Providence intervene—lose more. The Lady Amabel is but one of us, and she risks only her life as do all of us. She is shrewd as a man, ready as a boy, and may pass safely where any of the men might be taken. ”

“ But Luke was wrong. Hugh was too cautious to risk his men in the open. He feared that the forces of the enemy might be near enough to charge upon his workmen; and besides, he realized that to dig away the earth that formed the causeway across the moat would not long delay the besiegers. They could easily construct a rolling bridge and place it over the moat within an hour or two. Also, his men were weary, and they, too, had been greatly alarmed by the explosion, although he and the Friar had done their best to assure them that it was no accident, but a prearranged surprise. ”

“ Edgar demanded, "that we can hold that tower, now that the enemy is in possession of the outer bailey and of the southern walls? If we cannot hold it—the sooner it goes down the better."
"It cannot be held," Hugh assured him, shaking his head to emphasize the words. "If they are willing to lose a few of their men, they can force their way into it from the ramparts; or, they can bring up their ram and batter it to pieces. Besides, I believe that it is undermined. You remember how far the Count's miners had advanced the tunnel when we smoked them out last night? ”

“ Hugh, seeing the confusion into which the attacking party had been thrown by the explosion, led a body of his archers out into the courtyard through a side opening in the diagonal intrenchment, and by delivering a heavy volley of arrows put to flight the few men of the Count who were still upon the rampart of the south wall—so that it was once more cleared of the enemy. ”

“ Edgar proposed this with reluctance, but explained that it was by her own wish he spoke of it. "The Lady Amabel will not let me rest. She insists that unless she shall go soon, it may be too late. She thinks the earlier she goes the better, and the more likely she is to bring aid to us. So long as the besiegers had obtained no foothold in the castle, I was able to reassure her, and to claim that the siege might be raised without need of risking her life. ”

“ It is true that his aid at a critical time had saved the men stationed at the inner gateway, and had enabled them to make good their retreat to a safer shelter, but this was rather the saving of a defeat than a victory. ”