he had not said much, yet he knew that the cardinal had
understood, and had, as it were, declined a further and fuller
revelation. He had understood, on his side, that the church did not
desire to push matters to extremity, and to lose the love and
adherence of its most promising sons. He was willing, for his part,
to avoid publicity for a time, to resume his interrupted studies,
and to wait in patience for what would come out of this movement
within and without the church.

But the sense of sailing under false colours had now been taken
away. He had relieved his soul; he had spoken the truth; he had
offered himself as a victim; he no longer stood condemned as a
coward and a denier of his faith.

With a glad heart he rode onward through the rosy glow of a red and
golden dawn. All nature seemed in harmony with his joy and triumph.
The birds shouted their morning songs, and the budding trees and
waving grass seemed silently to voice a happy answer. Primroses
gemmed the banks, and the frail white anemones carpeted the
twinkling woodlands, where sunbeams and shadows chased each other
through a maze of tender green leaves. Then the horse beneath him,
though somewhat wearied from the long journey, knew his homeward
way, pricked forward his ears, and broke into a canter, bravely
bearing his rider up the gentle incline, and through the gate that
led towards the moated house.

Suddenly a white figure seemed to emerge from the thickets of
shrubs, and a joyous voice exclaimed:

"Anthony, Anthony! is it thou?"

He was on his feet in an instant. The horse set off riderless for
his own stable. Anthony's arms were about her, his kisses on her
face.

"Freda! my beloved! my wife!"

"Anthony, O Anthony! And thou art free!"

"I am free, and the load has fallen. I am free and forgiven, and at
peace with God and man. And, Freda, we must hasten to the house
with the news; for Arthur has gone forward to obtain the release of
Clarke and Sumner and Radley, and as soon as possible--it may even
be today--he will bring them here to be cared for."

Chapter XVIII: The Release

Five days, however, elapsed at Poghley before any news came from
Arthur at Oxford, and then it was brought by Dr. Langton, who, upon
Dalaber's return, had started forth again to that place, partly to
set his house in order and arrange his books and papers before his
departure for foreign lands, partly because he hoped his skill in
medicine and the arts