ndly dark,
but he had noticed the direction taken by Leonard, and running
noiselessly along the street, soon perceived him a little in advance.
Regulating his pace by that of the apprentice, and keeping about fifty
yards behind him, he tracked his course along several streets, until he
saw him pass through the second postern in the city wall, near Moorgate.

Here he debated with himself whether to proceed further or turn back;
but at length, curiosity got the best of his fears, and he went on. A
few steps brought him into the open fields, and fancying he saw Leonard
at a little distance before him, he hurried on in that direction. But he
soon found he had been deceived by the stump of a tree, and began to
fear he must have taken the wrong course. He looked around in vain for
some object to guide him. The darkness was so profound that he could see
nothing, and he set off again at random, and not without much
self-reproach and misgiving. At last, he reached a hedge, and continued
to skirt it, until he perceived through the bushes the light of a
lantern in the adjoining field. He immediately called out, but at the
cry the light disappeared. This did not prevent him from making towards
the spot where he had seen it; but he had not proceeded far when he was
forcibly seized by some unseen person, thrown on the ground, and a drawn
sword--for he felt the point--placed at his throat.

"Utter a cry, and it is your last," cried a stern voice. "Where is he?"

"Who--who?" demanded Blaize, half dead with terror.

"He whom you appointed to meet," replied the unknown.

"I appointed to meet no one," rejoined Blaize.

"Liar!" exclaimed the other; "if you do not instantly lead me to him, I
will cut your throat."

"I will lead you wherever you please, if you will only let me get up,"
rejoined Blaize, with difficulty repressing a cry.

"By the daughters of Nox and Acheron!" exclaimed a voice which sounded
like music in the porter's ears, "I think you are mistaken in your man,
my lord. It does not sound like the apprentice's voice."

"It is _not_ the apprentice's voice, good Major Pillichody," rejoined
the porter. "It is mine, your friend--Blaize's."

"Blaize!" exclaimed Pillichody, unmasking a dark lantern, and revealing
the terror-stricken countenance of the porter; "so it is. In the devil's
name, what are you doing here?"

"The devil himself, who put it into my head to come, only knows,"
replied Blaize; "but I followed Leonard