"Crack!"--a sudden flash from the dark underwood, and with a loud cry his captor dropped him, and staggered backwards, to fall a few paces farther on, where he lay rigid and motionless. Then from the thicket there came the sound of a quick sharp cry, and a slim figure rushed forward with the gasping question:
"Is he dead? Oh, have I killed him?"
And Cuthbert, raising his head, and scarce believing aught of this could be anything but a fevered dream, uttered the one word:
"Petronella!"
Chapter [17]: Brother And Sister.
"Petronella! thou here!"
"Brother--brother mine--art thou hurt?"
"Never a whit, though I looked to be a dead man ere this. Sister, take my knife and cut my bonds; yon man may rise again, and I must be free to defend myself and thee."
Petronella cast a scared and fearful glance at the long dark figure lying face downwards upon the sward, showing signs of life only by a spasmodic twitching of the limbs; and then drawing Cuthbert's long hunting knife from his belt, she cut the cords that bound his hands and feet, and in another moment he sprang up and shook himself, keeping a wary eye all the while upon the prostrate foe. But he did not go to his side at once; he was too keenly aroused and interested by this sudden appearance of his sister.
"Petronella! I can scarce credit my senses. How comest thou here, and at such an hour?"