Then the fire died out of his eyes; he sighed and spoke.

In that second's glance he had seen the lad's face; the fear and impatience written on it had disgusted him, and caused the scales to fall suddenly and definitely against the boy.
"I was thinking how it might be accomplished," he said.
"There is but one way," cried the lad.
"On the contrary, there are two, and I wish to choose carefully." "If you delay your choice much longer, none will be left you," cried Kenneth impatiently.
Noting the lad's growing fears, and resolved now upon his course, Galliard set himself to play upon them until terror should render the boy as wax in his hands.
"There speaks your callow inexperience," said he, with a pitying smile.
"When you shall have lived as long as I have done, and endured as much; when you shall have set your wits to the saving of your life as often as have I--you will have learnt that haste is fatal to all enterprises.
Failure means the forfeiture of something; tonight it would mean the forfeiture of our lives, and it were a pity to let such good efforts as these"-- and with a wave of the hand he indicated their two captors--"go wasted." "Sir," exclaimed Kenneth, well-nigh beside himself, "if you come not with me, I go alone!" "Whither ?" asked Crispin dryly.
"Out of this." Galliard bowed slightly.
"Fare you well, sir.

I'll not detain you.

Your way is clear, and it is for you to choose between the door and the window." And with that Crispin turned his back upon his companion and crossed to the bed, where the trooper lay glaring in mute anger.

He stooped, and unbuckling the soldier's swordbelt--to which the scabbard was attached--he girt himself with it.