to look, and she had to own
the truth.

"Why, maid! That must have been by the closet where I was hid, and I
never heard thee scream," said Margaret.

"Nay, Meg, I screamed not."

"Lack-a-day! how could'st help the same?"

"Didn't it hurt sore, Rose?" asked John Thurston.

"Not nigh so much as you might think," answered Rose, brightly. "At the
first it caused me some grief; but truly, the more it burned the less it
hurt, till at last it was scarce any hurt at all."

"But thou had'st the pot in thine other hand, maid; wherefore not have
hit him a good swing therewith?"

"Truly, Meg, I thank God that He held mine hand from any such deed.
`The servant of the Lord must not strive.' I should thus have
dishonoured my Master."

"Marry, but that may be well enough for angels and such like. _We_
dwell in this nether world."

"Rose hath the right," said William Mount. "We may render unto no man
railing for railing. `If we suffer as Christians, happy are we; for the
Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon us.' Let us not suffer as
malefactors."

"You say well, neighbour," added John Thurston. "We be called to the
defence of God's truth, but in no wise to defend ourselves."

"Nay, the Lord is the avenger of all that have none other," said Alice.
"But let me see thine hand, child, maybe I can do thee some ease."

"Under your good leave, Mother, I would rather not unlap it," replied
Rose. "Truly, it scarce doth me any hurt now; and I bound it well with
a wet rag, that I trow it were better to let it be. It shall do well
enough, I cast no doubt."

She did not want her mother to see how terribly it was burned. And in
her heart was a further thought which she would not put into words--If
they shortly burn my whole body, what need is there to trouble about
this little hurt to my hand?

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

SHUTTING THE DOOR.

Once more the days wore on, and no fresh arrests were made; but no help
came to the prisoners in the Castle and the Moot Hall, nor to Elizabeth
Foulkes in the keeping of Mr Ashby. Two priests had talked to
Elizabeth, and the authorities were beginning to change their opinion
about her. They had fancied from her quiet, meek appearance, that she
would be easily prevailed upon to say what they wanted. Now they found
that under that external softness there was a will of iron, and a power
of endurance beyond anything they had imagined.

The day of examination for all the prisoners