Page 175 - A Knight of the White Cross

were on their way back to the prison, and had told them to be prepared to
take part in a plan that was on foot for their rescue from slavery. The torture

had not been, as was then the usual custom, applied to extort information;
partly because his story was probable, still more because the grand master

and council did not wish that more publicity should be given to the affair,
and were glad that it should be allowed to drop without any further trial of
the delinquents. In the city generally it was only known that a plot had been

discovered for the liberation and escape of some of the slaves; and, outside
the members of the Order, none were aware of its extent and dangerous

character. To the satisfaction of Gervaise and Ralph, Vrados was able to
produce letters and documents that satisfied the council that he had been
deceived as to the character of the Greek, and was wholly innocent in the

matter.