r at the gate, a jangling of the bell. Then as he
listened he knew that it was no false alarm.

Across the wall, from the direction of the hills that showed dimly
against the evening sky, there came a murmur, growing as he listened.
The roads were hard from lack of rain, and he could distinguish the
sound of horses, a great company; but rising above this was a dull roar
of voices. Every moment it waxed, died once or twice, then sounded out
nearer and louder. There was a barking of dogs, the cries of children,
and now and again the snatch of a song or a shouted word or two.

Of the group on the steps within not one stirred, except when Sir James
slowly lowered his upraised hand; and so they waited.

The company was drawing nearer now; and Chris calculated that they must
be coming down the steep road that led from the town; and even as he
thought it he heard the sound of hoofs on the bridge that crossed the
Winterbourne.

Dom Anthony pushed by him.

"To the gate," he said, and went down the step and across the court
followed by the others. As they went the clamour grew loud and near in
the road outside; and a ruddy light shone on the projecting turret of
the gateway.

Chris was conscious of extraordinary coolness now that the peril was on
him; and he stared up at the studded oak doors, at the wicket cut in one
of the leaves, and the sliding panel that covered the grill, with little
thought but that of conjecture as to how long the destruction of the
gate would take. The others, too, though he was scarcely aware of their
presence, were silent and rigid at his side, as Dom Anthony stepped up
to the closed grill and waited there for the summons.

It came almost immediately.

There was a great crescendo of sound as the party turned the corner, and
a flare of light shone under the gate; then the sound of loud talking, a
silence of the hoofs; and a sudden jangle on the bell overhead.

The monk turned from the grill and lifted his hand.

Then again the talking grew loud, as the mob swept round the corner
after the horses.

Still all was silent within. Chris felt his father's hand seek his own a
moment, and grip it; and then above the gabbling clamour a voice spoke
distinctly outside.

"Have the rats run, then?"

The bell danced again over their heads; and there was a clatter of raps
on the huge door.

Dom Anthony slid back the shutter.

* * * * *

For a moment it was not notice