of bridle-chains; and then a voice begin; but they could not distinguish
the words.

It was Ralph speaking; but they could only guess what it was that he was
saying. Overhead the autumn sky was a vault of pale blue; and a bird or
two chirped briskly from the roof opposite.

The voice outside grew louder, and ceased, and the noise of horse hoofs
broke out.

Still there was no movement from any within. The Abbess was standing now
with one hand uplifted as if for silence, and Mary heard the hoofs sound
fainter up the road; they grew louder again as they reached higher
ground; and then ceased altogether.

The old man touched Mary on the arm, and the three went out along the
little corridor, and down the stone stairs.

As they passed through the lodge and came into the court Mary saw that
the Abbess had moved from her place, and was standing with the portress
close by the gate; her face was towards them, a little on one side, and
she seemed to be listening intently, her ear against the door, her lower
lip sucked in, and her eyes bright and vacant; she still held one hand
up for silence.

Then there came a tiny tapping on the wood-work, and she instantly
turned and snatched at the key, and a moment later the door was wide.

"Come in, my poor child," she said.

CHAPTER VII

ST PANCRAS PRIORY

It was a little more than a month later that Ralph met his
fellow-Visitor at Lewes Priory.

He had left Rusper in a storm of angry obstinacy, compelled by sheer
pride to do what he had not intended. The arrival of his father and Mary
there had had exactly the opposite effect to that which they hoped, and
Ralph had turned Margaret out of the convent simply because he could not
bear that they should think that he could be frightened from his
purpose.

As he had ridden off on that October morning, leaving Margaret standing
outside with her cloak over her arm he had had a very sharp suspicion
that she would be received back again; but he had not felt himself
strong enough to take any further steps; so he contented himself with
sending in his report to Dr. Layton, knowing well that heavy punishment
would fall on the convent if it was discovered that the Abbess had
disobeyed the Visitors' injunctions.

Then for a month or so he had ridden about the county, carrying off
spoils, appointing new officials, and doing the other duties assigned to
him; he was offered bribes again and again by superiors of Religious
Houses, bu