Then was a yell from outside, and before Owen could stay me I
looked through the window, recklessly enough maybe, but with a
feeling that no more arrows would come now that the archer was
disturbed. It needed more than a careless aim to shoot so well into
that narrow slit. Across the window I could see the black line of
the earthworks against the light some fifty paces from the wall of
the palace, with no building between them on this side at all; and
on the rampart struggled two figures, wrestling fiercely in
silence. One was a man whose armour sparkled and gleamed under the
moon, and the other seemed to be unarmed, unless, indeed, that was
a broad knife he had in his hand. Then Owen pulled me aside.
"The sentry has him," he said, after a hurried glance. "Let us out
into the light, for there may be more on hand yet."
Now I hurried on my arms, but another look showed me nothing but
the bare top of the rampart. No sign of the men remained. I could
hear voices and the sounds of men running in the quiet, and I
thought these came from the guard, who were hurrying up from the
gate.
"The men have rolled into the ditch," I said. "I can see nothing
now."
Then we ran out, bidding the captain of the guard to stand to arms
as we passed through the great door of the palace, and so we went
round to the place whence the arrows had come.
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