tered 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 continued to look at him, but, by this time, terror began to be
succeeded by surprise, and surprise by suspicion. Dick, who could read
these changes on her face, became alarmed for his own safety in that
hostile house.

"Fair maid," he said, affecting easiness, "suffer me to kiss your hand,
in token ye forgive my roughness, and I will even go."

"Y' are a strange monk, young sir," returned the young lady, looking him
both boldly and shrewdly in the face; "and now that my first astonishment
hath somewhat passed away, I can spy the layman in each word you utter.
What do ye here? Why are ye thus sacrilegiously tricked out? Come ye in
peace or war? And why spy ye after Lady Brackley like a thief?"

"Madam," quoth Dick, "of one thing I pray you to be very sure: I am no
thief. And even if I come here in war, as in some degree I do, I make no
war upon fair maids, and I hereby entreat them to copy me so far, and to
leave me be. For, indeed, fair mistress, cry out--if such be your
pleasure--cry but once, and say what ye have seen, and the poor gentleman
before you is merely a dead m