children in the Lord. I may
not refuse to receive them. But I will speak earnestly to them of
the danger which menaces them and us; and if any be faint hearted,
let them draw back. I would not willingly bring or lead any into
peril. But I may not shut my door nor my heart against my children
who come to me. The chariots of God are thousands of angels. They
are round and about us, though we see them not. Let us not fear in
the hour of darkness and perplexity, but wait patiently on the
Lord, and doubt not that in His time and in His way He will give us
our heart's desire."

Clarke's face was uplifted; in the gathering gloom they could
scarcely see it, and yet to both it appeared at that moment as the
face of an angel.

Chapter X: A Startling Apparition

It was the following afternoon--Saturday--and Anthony Dalaber sat
in his new quarters with an open book before him. He was beginning
to feel at home there, and to lay aside some of those pressing
anxieties which had beset him ever since the flight of Master
Garret upon Arthur Cole's warning.

Notwithstanding even the grave talk which had taken place the day
previously in the room of John Clarke, Dalaber did not find himself
seriously uneasy at present. He had been going to and fro in the
town for the past two days, and no one had molested him, or had
appeared to take any special note of him. He had attended lecture
that morning, and had walked through the streets afterwards in
company with several other students of his own standing, and not a
word had been breathed about any stir going on, or any alarm of
heresy being raised by those in authority. He began to think that
Arthur Cole had taken somewhat too seriously some words he had
heard on the subject from his relative the proctor. Upon his own
spirit a sense of calm was settling down. He trusted and hoped that
he was not in personal danger; but he also resolved that, should
peril arise, he would meet it calmly and fearlessly, as Clarke was
prepared to do should it touch him.

On returning to his room he had paid a visit to the monk Robert
Ferrar, who lived on the same staircase, and was a friend of
Garret's, and had ofttimes made purchases from him of forbidden
books. As they sat and talked in Ferrar's room, Anthony espied a
copy of Francis Lambert on St. Luke, and eagerly pounced upon it.
Although he had left behind him all dangerous books, and had
resolved to give himself up to the study of the law, hi