' This Baron has
gall in his soul, even as I have myself, and do you think that I
would give up my prisoners alive, if I were constrained so to do?
No, no; had we won our way this day it would have been the
death-stroke for them all."
"It may be that you are right, Simon," said Nigel, "and the
thought of it should assuage our grief. But if we cannot save
them by taking the castle, then surely they are lost indeed."
"It may be so, or it may not," Simon answered slowly. "It is in
my mind that if the castle were taken very suddenly, and in such a
fashion that they could not foresee it, then perchance we might
get the prisoners before they could do them scathe."
Nigel bent forward eagerly, his hand on the soldier's arm.
"You have some plan in your mind, Simon. Tell me what it is."
"I had wished to tell Sir Robert, but he is preparing the assault
for to-morrow and will not be turned from his purpose. I have
indeed a plan, but whether it be good or not I cannot say until I
have tried it. But first I will tell you what put it into my
thoughts. Know then that this morning when I was in yonder ditch
I marked one of their men upon the wall. He was a big man with a
white face, red hair and a touch of Saint Anthony's fire upon the
cheek."
"But what has this to do with Aylward?"
"I will show you. This evening after the assault I chanced to
walk with some of my fellows, round yonder small fort upon the
knoll to see if we could spy a weak spot in it.
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