Now above the wheel was a gap in the masonry, an opening roughly square that had been a window, mayhap, whence shone a warm, mellow light.
"Master," panted Roger, "a God's name--what was it?"
"A woman screamed!" quoth Beltane, staring upon the lighted window. As he spake a man laughed sleepily beside the nearest watch-fire, scarce a bow-shot away.
"Look'ee, master," whispered Roger, "we may not cross by the ford because of the watch-fires--'tis a fair light to shoot by, and the river is very deep hereabouts."
"Yet must we swim it, Roger."
"Lord, the water is in flood, and our armour heavy!"
"Then must we leave our armour behind," quoth Beltane, and throwing back his hood of mail, he began to unbuckle his broad belt, but of a sudden, stayed to point with outstretched finger. Then, looking whither he pointed, Roger saw a tree whose hole leaned far out across the stream, so that one far-flung branch well nigh scraped the broken roof of the mill.
"Yon lieth our way, Roger--come!" said he.
Being come to that side of the tree afar from the watch-fires, Beltane swung himself lightly and began to climb, but hearing a groan, paused.
"Roger," he whispered, "what ails thee, Roger?"
"Alas!" groaned Roger, "'tis my wound irketh me; O master, I cannot follow thee this way!"
"Nay, let me aid thee," whispered Beltane, reaching down to him. But, despite Beltane's strong hand, desperately though he tried, Black Roger fell back, groaning.
"Master," he pleaded, "O master, adventure not alone lest ill befall thee." "Aye, but I must, Roger."
Then Roger leaned his head upon his sound arm, and wept full bitterly.
"O master,--O sweet lord," quoth he, "bethink thee now of the warning-- the dead hand--"
"Yet must I go, my Roger."
"Then--an they kill thee, lord, so shall they kill me also; thy man am I, to live or die with thee--"
"Nay, Roger, sworn art thou to redeem Pentavalon: so now, in her name do I charge thee, haste to Sir Jocelyn, an he yet live--seek Giles and Walkyn and whoso else ye may, and bring them hither at speed. If ye find me not here, then hie ye all to Thrasfordham, for by to-morrow Sir Pertolepe and Gui of Allerdale will have raised the country against us. Go now, do even as I command, and may God keep thee, my faithful Roger." Then Beltane began to climb, but being come where the great branch forked, looked down to see Roger's upturned face, pale amid the gloom below.
"The holy angels have thee in their keeping, lord and master!" he sighed, and so turned with head a-droop and was gone. And now Beltane began to clamber out across the swirl of dark waters, while the tough bough swung and swayed beneath him in every gust of wind, wherefore his going was difficult and slow, and he took heed only to his hands and feet.