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"But it's a good thing, anyway, Miss Farmond, that the laird of Stanesland is no likely to get married." "Isn't he?" she asked, again with that encouraging note. Bisset replied with another question, asked in an ominous voice: "Have ye seen yon castle o' his, miss?" Cicely nodded. "I called there once with Lady Cromarty."
'Sir squire, answered Bisset, sadly; 'for your first question, I grieve to say, that has come to pass which I too shrewdly predicted all the boasting of the French has ended in disaster the king and his nobles being prisoners, and most of the other pilgrims slain or drowned; and, for your second, as to Guy Muschamp, the English squire, who was a brave and gallant youth, I own I entertain hardly a doubt that, ere this, he is food for worms or fishes.
'It shall never be told that I prevented knight or squire from dying the death of a martyr. 'By the might of Mary! Master Espec, whispered Bisset; the English knight, 'were I your age, and had my choice, certes, I should think twice ere hazarding life against such odds. Wherefore should you fall a victim to the madness of my Lord of Artois, or the pride of my Lord of Salisbury?
Bisset, and then Ned asked: "Well, what do you think of his theory that the man came in by the window?" Carrington smiled. "Bisset is evidently extremely anxious to save the credit of the family." Ned Cromarty was aroused now. "Good God!" he cried. "But do you mean to say that you think that story will hold water?" "What story?" enquired Carrington mildly.
The extreme dejection of his voice struck the other sharply. "Alternatives to what?" he asked. For a few seconds Bisset did not answer. "What's on your mind, man?" demanded Cromarty. "The reason, sir, I've got that badly off the rails with my deductions is just that I had to find some other theory than the story that's going about." "What story?" "You've no heard it, sir?" Ned shook his head.
So far as the observant Bisset could judge, the baronet seemed, indeed, to be having so depressing an effect upon the young lady that as her friend and counsellor he took the liberty of advising a change of air. "We'll miss you vera much, Miss Farmond," he was good enough to say, "but I'm thinking that what you want is a seaside resort." She smiled a little sadly.
Without wasting more time in words, Bisset proceeded to buckle on his chain mail, while Walter Espec also arrayed himself; and, while the knight armed himself with his ponderous battle-axe, the squire unsheathed his falchion; and both, resuming their wonted air of dauntless courage, prepared, in case of the worst, to sell their lives dearly.
Now he wheeled quickly and exclaimed: "If the murderer came in through the window while Sir Reginald was in the room, either the window was standing open or Sir Reginald opened it for him! Did Sir Reginald ever sit with his window open late at night at this time of year?" "Never once, sir," said Bisset confidently.
"Thank God, you've come, sir," said the butler devoutly. "The master would have expected it of you." "How did it happen? What does it mean? Do you mean to say it's actually true?" Bisset shook his head sombrely. "Ower true," said he. "But as to how it happened, come in to the library, sir. It was in his ain library he was killed!
Having succeeded in restoring the damsel, they placed her on Walter's steed, and, the squire leading her rein, conducted her to Acre. 'On my faith, sir squire, said Bisset with a smile of peculiar significance, as Walter unbuckled his armour, 'I marvel at your good fortune in regard to the noble demoiselle, and perceive that I was right in saying that you had been born with luck on your side.
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