shrieking, "My child! My child! You have taken my child!"

Suddenly she stopped and stood erect. A distant footstep was heard.

"He comes! He comes!" she cried, and with a loud shriek dashed from the
dungeon and disappeared.

In another second Nightgall stood before him. The gaoler made no attempt
to disguise the motives which prompted him to imprison the young
esquire. No threats that Cuthbert could use had the least effect on him.
He quailed before the charge that Cuthbert made at random--that he had
murdered the child of the unfortunate wretch who had disappeared at his
coming, but on the question of his release he was obdurate. If Cuthbert
would agree to give up Cicely he should be released; otherwise he should
meet with a secret death at the hands of Mauger, the executioner.

At this juncture, Cicely, who had been directed by the dwarf, Xit,
appeared. To save the man she loved she boldly declared that she would
wed Nightgall, provided that he would conduct his prisoner outside the
walls of the Tower.

"Bring me back some token that you have done so, and I am yours," she
said.

Nightgall consented, and agreed to withdraw while Cuthbert and Cicely
arranged privately what the token should be.

Hurriedly Cuthbert gave her a ring to send to Lord Dudley, who, he knew,
would at once effect his release. Then, accompanied by Nightgall, Cicely
withdrew from the gloomy dungeon.