resounding against the enclosing walls of the courtyard. The Irishman stayed his motion, then peered down to find the voice's owner. He saw a tall, dark-haired man standing amongst the arbalesters. Unarmoured, he wore a white tunic with a black cross emblazoned upon it. Before Timeras could speak, Longshanks replied from the window above.
      "Herr Sieghard, I presume?"

* * *

      The Teuton made no notice of his recognition. "Thieves of my house! You break in and seek to steal that which is mine! Have you no honor?"
      Duril curled his lip. "Honor? Do not speak to me of honor, Herr Raubritter! Honor is beyond your reckoning!"
      "Nevertheless, you steal from me! Steal that which is of much value to me! That girl belongs to me!!"
      Longshanks felt the anger growing slowly inside him like a cancer. "I do not rob mine own people of that which they toil so hardly

 
 
for, the very fruits of their labors! Nor do I follow the practice of ambushing unwary travelers of the Emperor's roads and relieve them of their valuables either! I retrieve that which belongs to me," he said in a hard, low tone, "and has been mine since long before your wretched carcass lay claim to existence upon this Earth!!"
      The Teuton's eyes flashed. "Do I know you, sirrah?"
      Only O'Cuire could hear the archer's whispered reply. "Only as man knows the face of his own death."
      Unnoticed by all, two large black ravens fluttered down out of the brightening sky, alighting upon the barbican summit, to watch the impending battle.
      "Damn him", the Irishman thought, then leapt up before anything else occurred. "Longshanks! Let's be off!"
      The ranger leaned out and loosed a shaft into the crowd. He decreased the number of enemy crossbows by one, but missed Sieghard as he leapt behind a hapless guard unlucky

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