ye must find it in your great-heartedness to pardon
me! I was a churl, indeed, to doubt of you. But ye have my hand upon
it; I will doubt no more."

"Nay, Dick," replied Sir Daniel, "y' are forgiven. Ye know not the world
and its calumnious nature."

"I was the more to blame," added Dick, "in that the rogues pointed, not
directly at yourself, but at Sir Oliver."

As he spoke, he turned towards the priest, and paused in the middle of
the last word. This tall, ruddy, corpulent, high-stepping man had
fallen, you might say, to pieces; his colour was gone, his limbs were
relaxed, his lips stammered prayers; and now, when Dick's eyes were fixed
upon him suddenly, he cried out aloud, like some wild animal, and buried
his face in his hands.

Sir Daniel was by him in two strides, and shook him fiercely by the
shoulder. At the same moment Dick's suspicions reawakened.

"Nay," he said, "Sir Oliver may swear also. 'Twas him they accused."

"He shall swear," said the knight.

Sir Oliver speechlessly waved his arms.

"Ay, by the mass! but ye shall swear," cried Sir Daniel, beside himself
with fury. "Here, upon this book, ye shall swear," he continued, picking
up the breviary, which had fallen to the ground. "What! Ye make me
doubt you! Swear, I say; swear!"

But the priest was still incapable of speech. His terror of Sir Daniel,
his terror of perjury, risen to about an equal height, strangled him.

And just then, through the high, stained-glass window of the hall, a
black arrow crashed, and struck, and stuck quivering, in the midst of the
long table.

Sir Oliver, with a loud scream, fell fainting on the rushes; while the
knight, followed by Dick, dashed into the court and up the nearest
corkscrew stair to the battlements. The sentries were all on the alert.
The sun shone quietly on green lawns dotted with trees, and on the wooded
hills of the forest which enclosed the view. There was no sign of a
besieger.

"Whence came that shot?" asked the knight.

"From yonder clump, Sir Daniel," returned a sentinel.

The knight stood a little, musing. Then he turned to Dick. "Dick," he
said, "keep me an eye upon these men; I leave you in charge here. As for
the priest, he shall clear himself, or I will know the reason why. I do
almost begin to share in your suspicions. He shall swear, trust me, or
we shall prove him guilty."

Dick answered somewhat coldly, and the knight, giving him a piercing
glance, hurriedl