rt growled. "I'll lay down behind this oak, d'ye
see. When she comes, she'll think as he's not arrived yet, and she'll
get standin' around and waitin'. When I see my chance, I'll get behind
her, and she'll never know that she has not been struck by lightnin'."

"Excellent!" cried John Girdlestone; "excellent! We had best get into
our places."

"Mind you do it all in one crack," Ezra said. "Don't let us have any
crying out afterwards. I could stand a good deal, but not that."

"You should know how I hits," Burt remarked with a malicious grin, which
was hidden from his companion. "If your head wasn't well nigh solid you
wouldn't be here now."

Ezra's hand involuntarily went up to the old scar. "I think such a one
as that would settle her!" he said, as he withdrew with his father.
The two took up their position under the shadow of some trees fifty
yards off or more. Burt crouched down behind the withered oak with his
weapon in his hand and waited for the coming of his victim.

Ezra, though usually resolute and daring, had completely lost his nerve,
and his teeth were chattering in his head. His father, on the other
hand, was emotionless and impassive as ever.

"It's close upon nine o'clock," Ezra whispered.

"Ten minutes to," said the other, peering at his great golden
chronometer through the darkness.

"What if she fails to come?"

"We must devise other means of bringing her out."

From the spot where they stood they had a view of the whole of the
Priory. She could not come out without being seen. Above the door was
a long narrow window which opened upon the staircase. On this
Girdlestone and his son fixed their eyes, for they knew that on her way
down she would be visible at it. As they looked, the dim light which
shone through it was obscured and then reappeared.

"She has passed!"

"Hush!"

Another moment and the door was stealthily opened. Once again the broad
golden bar shot out across the lawn almost to the spot where the
confederates were crouching. In the centre of the zone of light there
stood a figure--the figure of the girl. Even at that distance they
could distinguish the pearl-grey mantle which she usually wore and the
close-fitting bonnet. She had wrapped a shawl round the lower part of
her face to protect her from the boisterous wind. For a minute or more
she stood peering out into the darkness of the night, as though
uncertain whether to proceed or to go back. Then, with