ravelled continually to and fro, and kept a
guard upon all the entrances of the house, lit upon a little procession
entering by the main gate and crossing the court in an oblique
direction. Two ladies, muffled in thick furs, led the way, and were
followed by a pair of waiting-women and four stout men-at-arms. The next
moment they had disappeared within the house; and Dick, slipping through
the crowd of loiterers in the shed, was already giving hot pursuit.

"The taller of these twain was Lady Brackley," he thought; "and where
Lady Brackley is, Joan will not be far."

At the door of the house the four men-at-arms had ceased to follow, and
the ladies were now mounting the stairway of polished oak, under no
better escort than that of the two waiting-women. Dick followed close
behind. It was already the dusk of the day; and in the house the
darkness of the night had almost come. On the stair-landings, torches
flared in iron holders; down the long, tapestried corridors, a lamp
burned by every door. And where the door stood open, Dick could look in
upon arras-covered walls and rush-bescattered floors, glowing in the
light of the wood fires.

Two floors were passed, and at every landing the younger and shorter of
the two ladies had looked back keenly at the monk. He, keeping his eyes
lowered, and affecting the demure manners that suited his disguise, had
but seen her once, and was unaware that he had attracted her attention.
And now, on the third floor, the party separated, the younger lady
continuing to ascend alone, the other, followed by the Waiting-maids,
descending the corridor to the right.

Dick mounted with a swift foot, and holding to the corner, thrust forth
his head and followed the three women with his eyes. Without turning or
looking behind them, they continued to descend the corridor.

"It is right well," thought Dick. "Let me but know my Lady Brackley's
chamber, and it will go hard an I find not Dame Hatch upon an errand."

And just then a hand was laid upon his shoulder, and, with a bound and a
choked cry, he turned to grapple his assailant.

He was somewhat abashed to find, in the person whom he had so roughly
seized, the short young lady in the furs. She, on her part, was shocked
and terrified beyond expression, and hung trembling in his grasp.

"Madam," said Dick, releasing her, "I cry you a thousand pardons; but I
have no eyes behind, and, by the mass, I could not tell ye were a maid."

The girl co