niments
and the title-deeds of his estate. After that, Mr Abington protested
no more; and it was needless, for he would not have been believed had he
done so. Sir Henry at once despatched him to Worcester to be taken care
of by a magistrate; and "being much wearied," on Wednesday night
returned to his own house to take rest, leaving his brother Sir Edward
in charge.

On the Thursday morning, when he returned to Hendlip, he was met by two
wan, gaunt men, whose countenances showed privation and suffering. They
gave their names as William Andrews and George Chambers.

By some unexplained want of care or foresight, these two unfortunate men
had been suffered to secrete themselves without provisions, and had
nothing but one apple between them from Monday to Thursday.

Sir Henry was delighted, for at first he thought he had secured Greenway
and Hall. A little further examination, however, showed him that his
captives were only the priests' servants; yet he shrewdly surmised that
the servants being there, the masters in all probability were not far
away.

For four days more the search was pursued in vain: but on the 27th news
came that not only was Hall certainly concealed in the house, but that
the most important of all the implicated Jesuits, Garnet, would probably
be found by a diligent continuance of the search. It came from an
unexpected quarter--no other than Red Humphrey Littleton.

Justice had not been slow in overtaking the harbourers of Robert Winter
and Stephen Littleton. White and his brothers had got clear away; but
Smart, Hollyhead, Perks, and Burford, suffered the last penalty of the
law. Margaret Perks was pardoned, though condemned to death. Humphrey
Littleton received the torture; and when apparently at the point of
death, entreated permission to confess important facts, which he
promised to do if his life might be spared. His appeal was granted, and
he then told the authorities that the most important criminal still at
large would be found in the priest's hiding-place at Hendlip Hall.

Fortified by this encouraging news, though the prisoners already taken
denied all knowledge of any others being hidden in the house, Sir Henry
pushed on his search; and at last, on the 28th, eight days after his
arrival, one of his men broke into the cunningly contrived hiding-place
in the chimney of Edward's room. This brave discoverer was so terrified
by his own success that he ran away lest the priests shoul