the monks partook, ere
setting forth upon their moonlight march.

As for Montacute and his followers, they remained in the room
above, and made no effort to delay the travellers. They had been
worsted at every point, and seemed to be aware of it.

It was a strange experience for Tom, this trudge over the hard,
frozen snow, with his two cowled and gowned companions. It seemed
to him afterwards like a vision of the night, full of a strange
oppression and pain. He started forth with undiminished strength,
as he thought; but ere long he felt as though leaden weights were
fastened to his feet, as though some strange, uncanny beast were
seated upon his chest, impeding his breathing, and paralyzing his
heart. The smart of his raw back became more and more intolerable
with every mile, and the awful whiteness of the moon upon the
limitless plains of snow seemed to make the whole expanse reel and
dance before his giddy eyes.

How the last part of the journey was performed, and what befell him
when he reached the monastery, he never afterwards remembered. As a
matter of fact, he was already in the grip of a burning fever; and
for weeks he lay sick upon his pallet bed, tended by the kindly
monks. Indeed, the spring had penetrated even to those rugged
heights ere he had recovered strength enough to think of travelling
once more; and Lord Claud had come to seek him, and bring him word
of his own successful journey with the despatches of the Duke.

When Lord Claud had gone stumbling down the hillside, in affected
illness, he soon found, rather to his dismay, that Montacute
himself was following him. He therefore abandoned his intention of
seeking battle with his foe, knowing that in brute strength and
weight and muscle his adversary was his superior; and he had gone
to the inn and put himself to bed, letting all around him believe
thoroughly in his illness. Montacute had remained on the watch for
a time; but finding, as he supposed, that there was no feigning in
the matter, he had gone back to his appointed meeting place with
the men sent after Tom. He had paid a fellow to keep watch upon
Lord Claud, and send immediate word if he recovered and left his
bed; but this man was one of those whose hearts had been won by
Lord Claud's pleasant manners, and he at once reported the matter
to him, and asked what he should do.

Between them it was arranged that they should change clothing, and,
with the connivance of the landlord, should