Page:Marriott Watson--Galloping Dick.djvu/100

 suddenly all was quiet. I stooped over his body, groping for it in the dark as best I might; and the first thing my fingers happened upon was my own sword, which, following downward, took me to his face. And at that and without further inquiry, I fetched up, with my heart in my mouth, for I knew now the meaning of that sickening scream. And there was never a sound from the dead man, but I, fingering in his breast, felt the pulse of his heart was gone.

I remember that I stood up and gazed stupidly into the black vacancy. Sir Ralph was dead as a maggot, and there was the topsman for me, and Baverstock too. This set me thinking, and presently I ran smartly into the other cell, where the fellow himself lay unconcerned in the dusk upon the boards.

“See, here,” said I, surlily enough, “it seemed that the price of your liberty is the price of a life, and as ’tis a habit of mine to pocket what I buy, come along and ask no questions; for ’tis your head as well as mine’s in danger.”

He followed me into the inner cell, where, after a short exploration, we hit upon the little