"I cannot tell yet whether you have hurt me or not," she said. "You men of the North are too strong!"
"But they come. Run, Lucy, beloved!" I said.
CHAPTER XII
A NIGHT ASSAULT
And she melted into the night, swiftly as a bird goes. Then I became aware of flying footsteps. It seemed that I had better not be found there, lest I should compromise the Countess with her brother, and find myself with a duel upon my hands in addition to my other embarrassments. So I set my toes upon the little projections of the stone parapet, taking advantage of the hooks which confined the creepers, and clutching desperately with my hands, so that I scrambled to the top just as the Count and Henry met below.
"Strike a light, Count," I heard Henry say; "I am sure I hit something.
I heard a cry."
A light flamed up. There was the rustling noise of the broad leaves of the creeper being pushed aside.
"Here is blood!" cried Henry. "I was sure I hit something that time!"
His tone was triumphant.
"I tell you what it is, Monsieur," said the calm voice of the Count: "if you go through the world banging off shots on the chance of shooting white owls which you do not see, you are indeed likely to hit something. But whether you will like it after it is hit, is another matter."