of the house came out with a look of preoccupation upon
her face. She noted that the boys were already in the saddle, and
smiled.

"Always in such haste," she said, as her own palfrey was led up.
"But, Edred my son, why didst thou not come to me to have thy hurts
looked to this morn? I was expecting thee."

"Sweet mother, I bound them for him today!" cried Julian eagerly.
"Methought I must learn to be his leech since thou wast going with
our father, and we knew that thou wouldst have much to do and to
think of. Methinks I have not done amiss. It scarce looks as neat
as though thy skilful fingers had had the care of it; but he says
it feels not amiss, and that is a great thing."

"Ay, verily; and I am glad thou hast skill enough for his needs.

"Be cautious, Edred my son, that the cold gets not to the hurts.
Draw up the collar of thy mantle well over that left cheek of
thine, and do not talk whilst the air bites so keenly. When the sun
is up all will be well; but be cautious in the first chill of the
dawn."

The brothers went towards their companion, and rearranged the
collar of his riding cloak so as still more to conceal his face.
The hands of the younger lad were trembling somewhat; there was a
quivering of the muscles of the face which betokened some repressed
emotion. The muffled rider did not speak or make much movement. He
obeyed the injunction of the lady of Chad to the letter.

Sir Oliver now appeared, and lifted his wife upon her palfrey. He
gave a look to see that his sons were mounted, and his servants
standing ready to follow his example when he sprang to the saddle.

Then his charger was led up, and he mounted and gave the word, and
the little cavalcade moved out through the gate and into the still,
dim forest track, watched intently by more than one pair of keen,
sharp, suspicious eyes.

"I trust when I come back," remarked the knight to his lady, "that
yon spies will have grown weary of their bootless watch, and will
have taken themselves off. It is but the malice and suspicion of
the Lord of Mortimer which causes the prior to act so. Alone he
would never trouble himself. He knows that Brother Emmanuel is not
at Chad, and has not been these many days. Wherever he be, he has
escaped the malice of his foes this time. Heaven send that he may
long escape! He was a godly and a saintly man, and no more heretic
than thou or I. If the Church will persist in warring thus against
her own truest sons, th