Sir Denis was almost the last to fall. In spite of his cruel and treacherous character he was no coward in the fight, and wielding his axe with ferocious skill and strength, he kept at bay the circle of steel that surrounded him.
At length, mindful of Geoffrey's shouts to take him alive, three of the men-at-arms using a stout plank as a means of offence, brought him to his knees. Even then the knight continued to lay about him, till he was finally over-borne by a rush of the infuriated Irish, who were with the utmost difficulty prevented from plunging their knives into his body.
"I pray thee make an end and that quickly," exclaimed Sir Denis dauntlessly, when, at the end of the combat, he was brought before Geoffrey.
"That I must do," replied the squire. "Yet e'en though thou hast dealt foully with me and mine, 'tis not by my will that thou must die. By the orders of my sovereign lord—and thine, though thou art a rebel—thou must be hanged on thine own battlements."
"Hanged!" exclaimed Sir Denis, his face turning an ashen grey. "Hanged! 'Tis impossible. A knight to die a villein's death?"
"Such are mine orders," replied Geoffrey curtly. "If there is aught on thy mind thou mayest have an hour's respite."
The sun was sinking low in the west as the doomed prisoner, accompanied by a strong guard of men-at arms and archers, was led to the battlements, where Sir Brian, Geoffrey, Oswald and Walter Talbot were present to execute the King's commands. Already some of the Irish troops had removed the bodies of their comrades from the gallows, and the rope of one was in readiness to receive its victim.
With a firm step Sir Denis walked to the place assigned for him, his arms bound behind his back, and his neck bared for the fatal noose.
"Young sir," said he, "cannot this be put aside? I do not beg for life, yet of thy charity, give me the axe rather than the cord."
"Nay," replied Geoffrey shortly, for he could not trust himself to say more. Then turning to the archers he signed to them to proceed with their work.