ile heretic, has nursed him like his
own mother, and brought him back from the very jaws of death. And
is she who has done a service that royal Henry will one day thank
her for publicly (for this pallid youth is as a brother in love to
young Edward, and his especial charge to us till he comes again to
claim him and bestow his well-earned knighthood upon him)--is she
to suffer from the unproven charges of a base spy and Yorkist tool
like yon fellow there, who would have betrayed his own king's son
to death? Away with such a fellow from the earth, I say; and let
those who have sheltered England's heir, and rescued this bold
youth from worse than death--let them, I say, live in peace and
honour for the service they have done their country! For I wot that
when young Edward comes in his own proper state again, his first
care will be for those who befriended him in his hour of need, his
first chastisement against those who have done aught to harm them,
if they be still cumbering the earth."

And with that the usually jovial brother, moved now by a great
access of wrath, which had given him unwonted eloquence, pointed a
finger significantly at the trembling peddler; and Jack, who held
him by the collar, gave him a shake and said:

"Give me leave to carry him to the village green and tell the good
folks there the tale, and I warrant that he will not cumber the
ground much longer."

"Do with him as you will," said the tall monk, "he is no charge of
mine; and if all be true that is said, he well deserves his fate."

The peddler was borne away, crying and entreating, and before an
hour had passed, his dead body was hanging on an oak tree nigh to
the blacksmith's forge--a warning to all informers; and when he had
gone the tall monk turned to Paul with a more benign air, and laid
his hand upon his head as he said:

"Thou art a stanch lad; and for their care to thee these honest
folks deserve the gratitude of the Church. I believe none of the
accusations of that lewd fellow. I trow this is a godly house,
where the Lord is rightly honoured in His holy ordinances."

"That indeed is so," answered Paul fervently.

The visitors departed well satisfied; whilst Paul heaved a great
sigh of relief, and wondered if he had in any way sinned by thought
or word or deed. But his conscience was clear; he could not see
that there was sin in reading holy words from God's own Book. Such
matters of dispute were too hard for him, and he closed