d had been surprised, and all upon the barge
had been either apprehended or slain. Tyrrel had died sword in
hand, as became a man of his calling, and the few who had escaped
to their old haunts had warned their comrades there, who had fled
the south country forthwith, and were scattered no man knew
whither.

Only to one person did Jacob presently tell the whole story of that
strange night when he set out to rescue Cuthbert from dire peril,
and that person was his cousin Keziah. The tale aroused her deepest
interest, and from that moment Jacob became to her a hero as well
as an idol. The honest youth had never been idolized before--never
in his wildest moments had he hoped to rise to the level of a hero;
and there was something so wonderful in finding himself so regarded
that it began to have a softening and even an elevating effect upon
him, and to draw forth an answering admiration and love.

The end of it was that before the Yuletide season had come, he went
blushing to Martin Holt to ask for the hand of his second daughter
Keziah in marriage instead of that of Cherry, whose heart had from
the first been given elsewhere; and it was arranged that the
marriage should take place almost at once, for Jacob pleaded he had
waited long enough for his wife, and Keziah's only wish was to
please her future lord and master.

Chapter 27: Yuletide At The Cross Way House.

Lady Humbert had got her own way--she generally did when her mind
was set upon a thing--and a large and merry party was assembled
beneath the hospitable roof of the Cross Way House to spend the
festive Yuletide there together.

Sir Richard was not sorry just at this juncture to extend his visit
to these kinswomen, whose known loyalty and adhesion to the
Protestant cause had made the name of Wyvern respected and held in
high repute even at the King's Court. It had been with equal
satisfaction that he had married his eldest daughter Cecilia to Sir
Robert Fortescue, and had allowed Lord Culverhouse openly to
proclaim his betrothal with Kate.

For strange things had been happening in the world of London since
the discovery of that abortive Gunpowder Treason; and, in the first
panic, the name of Trevlyn had freely been whispered abroad. Sir
Richard's friends had trembled for him, and had counselled him to
keep perfectly quiet and let the evil whisper die a natural death
if it would.

For two long weeks the family at the Chase lived upon tenterhooks.
Ev