e as firm as his son's. But
he spoke no word. Sir Nicholas was at his side, with one foot advanced,
and in attitude as if to spring; and Morris's face looked like a mask
over his shoulder.

"Well, then--" said Ralph once more.

"Ah! you damned hound!" roared the young squire's voice; and his hand
went up with the whip in it.

Ralph did not move a muscle. He seemed cut in steel.

"Let us go," said Dom Anthony again, to Chris, almost tenderly; "it is
enough that we are turned out by force."

"You can go by the church, if you will," said Ralph composedly. "In
fact--" He stopped as the murmur howled up again from the gate--"In
fact you had better go that way. They do not seem to be your friends out
there."

"We will go whichever way you wish," remarked the elder monk.

"Then the church," said Ralph, "or some other private door. I suppose
you have one. Most of your houses have one, I believe."

The sneer snapped the tension.

Dom Anthony turned his back on him instantly.

"Come, brother," he said.

Chris took his father by the arm as he went up the steps.

"Come, sir," he said, "we are to go this way."

There was a moment's pause. The old man still stared down at his elder
son, who was standing below in the same position. Chris heard a deep
breath, and thought he was on the point of speaking; but there was
silence. Then the two turned and followed the others into the cloister.

CHAPTER VII

AXES AND HAMMERS

Chris sat next morning at a high window of a house near Saint Michael's
looking down towards the south of the town.

They had escaped without difficulty the night before through the
church-entrance, with a man whom Ralph sent after them to see that they
carried nothing away, leaving the crowd roaring round the corner of the
gate, and though people looked curiously at the monks, the five laymen
with them protected them from assault. Mr. Morris had found a lodging a
couple of days before, unknown to Chris, in the house of a woman who was
favourable to the Religious, and had guided the party straight there on
the previous evening.

The two monks had said mass in Saint Michael's that morning before the
town was awake; and were now keeping within doors at Sir James's earnest
request, while the two gentlemen with one of the servants had gone to
see what was being done at the priory.

* * * * *

From where Chris sat in his black habit at the leaded window he could