bited more perturbation. Going into his brother's room
on the morning after their conversation, he saw clearly enough that
the bed had not been slept upon. The two friends of Joe Garth's, of
whom Ralph had spoken with so much apparent unconcern, had obviously
driven him away from home in the depth of the night. Then came Rotha's
explanation.

His worst fears were verified. Was it conceivable that Ralph could
escape the machinations of those who had lain a web that had already
entangled the lord of Wythburn himself? Every one who had served in
the trained bands of the Parliament was at the mercy of any man, who,
for the gratification of personal spite, chose to become informer
against him.

The two strangers had been seen in the city during the preceding day.
It was obviously their purpose to remain until time itself verified
the rumor that Ralph had left these parts to escape them. The
blacksmith had bragged in his cups at the Red Lion that Wilfrey Lawson
of the constable's court at Carlisle would have Ralph Ray in less than
a week. Robbie Anderson had overheard this, and had reported it at the
Moss. Robbie professed to know better, and to be able to laugh at such
pretensions. Willy was more doubtful. He thought his better education,
and consequently more intimate acquaintance with the history of such
conflicts with the ruling powers, justified him in his apprehensions.
He sat with his mother while the business was going on downstairs,
apparently struggling with an idea that it was his duty to comfort
her, but offering such curious comfort that the old dame looked up
again and again with wide eyes, which showed that her son was
suggesting to her slower intellect a hundred dangers and a hundred
moods of sorrow that she could neither discover for herself nor cope
with.

Towards nine the "maister men" of Wythburn began to arrive at
Shoulthwaite. Such of them as intended to accompany the remains of
their fellow-dalesman to their resting place at Gosforth came on
mountain ponies, which they dismounted in the court and led into a
spare barn. Many came on foot, and of these by much the larger part
meant to accompany the _cortege_ only to the top of the Armboth Fell,
and, having "sett" it so far, to face no more of the more than twenty
miles of rough country that lay between the valley and the churchyard
on the plains by the sea.

Matthew Branthwaite was among the first to arrive. The old weaver was
resplendent in the app