Page:Tudor Jenks--The defense of the castle.djvu/237

 soon as the Lady Amabel, now lost in the person of "Harry" the farmer-boy, had seen Edgar re-enter the mouth of the tunnel, she placed her dagger handily within her ragged frock—a loose, short-sleeved garment descending nearly to the knee. Her head was covered with a sort of hood that was drawn downward until the face appeared through an opening, and the lower edges protected her shoulders. Her legs were covered by loose hose or trousers bound tight by wrappings, and on her feet were coarse shoes of hide. The dress was of russet cloth, much patched and well worn, but warm and comfortable; and the heavy hood helped to hide her face. As all the garments were clumsy and ill-fitting, her figure was well concealed, and she might well have been taken for the rough country lad she pretended to be. When she suddenly felt that she was alone in the great darkness, her heart misgave her, and for a few moments she fell upon her knees. Then, with courage restored, she climbed up the river-bank, and 209