'T was him they accused . '' `` He shall swear , '' said the knight . Sir Oliver speechlessly waved his arms . `` Ay , by the mass ! but ye shall swear , '' cried Sir Daniel , beside himself with fury . `` Here , upon this book , ye shall swear , '' he continued , picking up the breviary , which had fallen to the ground . `` What ! Ye make me doubt you ! Swear , I say ; swear ! '' But the priest was still incapable of speech . His terror of Sir Daniel , his terror of perjury , risen to about an equal height , strangled him . And just then , through the high , stained-glass window of the hall , a black arrow crashed , and struck , and stuck quivering , in the midst of the long table . Sir Oliver , with a loud scream , fell fainting on the rushes ; while the knight , followed by Dick , dashed into the court and up the nearest corkscrew stair to the battlements . The sentries were all on the alert . The sun shone quietly on green lawns dotted with trees , and on the wooded hills of the forest which enclosed the view . There was no sign of a besieger . `` Whence came that shot ? '' asked the knight . `` From yonder clump , Sir Daniel , '' returned a sentinel . The knight stood a little , musing .
Then he turned to XXXXX .
Ay Daniel Dick Oliver alert arms besieger breviary court sentries