n was strict--neither food nor shelter to be
given, nor any compassion shown. And branded as they are, every body
will know them, you see."

Stephen came in while his sister-in-law was speaking.

"Come, now, haven't you had talk enough?" said he. "You've a tongue as
long as from here to Banbury Cross. You'd best be going home, Anania,
for Osbert's as cross as two sticks, and he'll be there in a few
minutes."

"Oh dear, one never has a bit of peace! I did think I could have sat a
while, and had a nice chat."

"It won't be so nice if you keep Osbert waiting, I can tell you."

Anania rose with evident reluctance, and gathered her mantle round her.

"Well, good-day, Aunt Isel! I'll send you down the holy-thistle.
Good-day, Flemild. Aren't you coming with me, Stephen?"

"No; I want to wait for Uncle Manning."

"Stephen, I'm obliged to you for ever and ever! If she'd stayed another
minute, I should have flown at her!"

"You looked as if you'd come to the end of your patience," said Stephen,
smiling, but gravely; "and truly, I don't wonder. But what's this about
holy-thistle? Are you sick, Aunt Isel?"

Isel looked searchingly into her nephew's face.

"You look true," she said; "I think you might be trusted, Stephen."

"Oh, _if_ you're grieving over _them_, don't be afraid to tell me so. I
did my best to save Gerard, but he would not be warned. I'd have caught
up the child and brought him to you, if I'd had a chance; but I was
hemmed in the crowd, a burly priest right afore me, and I couldn't have
laid hand on him. Poor souls! I'm sorry for them."

"God bless thee for those words, Stephen! I'm sore for them to the very
core of my heart. If they'd been my own father's children or mine, I
couldn't feel sadder than I do. And to have to listen to those hard,
cold, brutal words from that woman--."

"I know. She is a brute. I guessed somewhat how things were going with
you, for I saw her turn in here from the end of Saint Edward's; and I
thought you mightn't be so sorry to have her sent off. Her tongue's not
so musical as might be."

Manning and Haimet came in together. The former went up to Isel, while
Haimet began a conversation with his cousin, and after a moment the two
young men left the house together. Then Manning spoke.

"Wife and children," said he, "from this day forward, no word is to be
uttered in my house concerning these German people. They are heretics,
so pronounced by holy Chu