cautiously, desiring to know who they were before we let
them see all our premises.

However, it soon became plain to us that although they might not be
honest fellows, at any rate they were not Doones; and so we took them
in, and fed, and left them to tell their business. And this they were
glad enough to do; as men who have been maltreated almost always are.
And it was not for us to contradict them, lest our victuals should go
amiss.

These two very worthy fellows--nay, more than that by their own account,
being downright martyrs--were come, for the public benefit, from the
Court of Chancery, sitting for everybody's good, and boldly redressing
evil. This court has a power of scent unknown to the Common-law
practitioners, and slowly yet surely tracks its game; even as the great
lumbering dogs, now introduced from Spain, and called by some people
"pointers," differ from the swift gaze-hound, who sees his prey and runs
him down in the manner of the common lawyers. If a man's ill fate should
drive him to make a choice between these two, let him rather be chased
by the hounds of law, than tracked by the dogs of Equity.

Now, as it fell in a very black day (for all except the lawyers) His
Majesty's Court of Chancery, if that be what it called itself, gained
scent of poor Lorna's life, and of all that might be made of it. Whether
through that brave young lord who ran into such peril, or through any
of his friends, or whether through that deep old Counsellor, whose game
none might penetrate; or through any disclosures of the Italian woman,
or even of Jeremy himself; none just now could tell us; only this truth
was too clear--Chancery had heard of Lorna, and then had seen how
rich she was; and never delaying in one thing, had opened mouth, and
swallowed her.

The Doones, with a share of that dry humour which was in them
hereditary, had welcomed the two apparitors (if that be the proper name
for them) and led them kindly down the valley, and told them then to
serve their writ. Misliking the look of things, these poor men began to
fumble among their clothes; upon which the Doones cried, "off with them!
Let us see if your message he on your skins." And with no more manners
than that, they stripped, and lashed them out of the valley; only
bidding them come to us, if they wanted Lorna Doone; and to us they came
accordingly. Neither were they sure at first but that we should treat
them so; for they had no knowledge of the west