Sir Daniel came forth in person, followed by
the bridegroom of the morrow, my Lord Shoreby.

"My lord," said Sir Daniel, "have I not told you of this knave Black
Arrow? To the proof, behold it! There it stands, and, by the rood, my
gossip, in a man of yours, or one that stole your colours!"

"In good sooth, it was a man of mine," replied Lord Shoreby, hanging
back. "I would I had more such. He was keen as a beagle and secret as a
mole."

"Ay, gossip, truly?" asked Sir Daniel, keenly. "And what came he
smelling up so many stairs in my poor mansion? But he will smell no
more."

"An't please you, Sir Daniel," said one, "here is a paper written upon
with some matter, pinned upon his breast."

"Give it me, arrow and all," said the knight. And when he had taken into
his hand the shaft, he continued for some time to gaze upon it in a
sullen musing. "Ay," he said, addressing Lord Shoreby, "here is a hate
that followeth hard and close upon my heels. This black stick, or its
just likeness, shall yet bring me down. And, gossip, suffer a plain
knight to counsel you; and if these hounds begin to wind you, flee! 'Tis
like a sickness--it still hangeth, hangeth upon the limbs. But let us
see what they have written. It is as I thought, my lord; y' are marked,
like an old oak, by the woodman; to-morrow or next day, by will come the
axe. But what wrote ye in a letter?"

Lord Shoreby snatched the paper from the arrow, read it, crumpled it
between his hands, and, overcoming the reluctance which had hitherto
withheld him from approaching, threw himself on his knees beside the body
and eagerly groped in the wallet.

He rose to his feet with a somewhat unsettled countenance.

"Gossip," he said, "I have indeed lost a letter here that much imported;
and could I lay my hand upon the knave that took it, he should
incontinently grace a halter. But let us, first of all, secure the
issues of the house. Here is enough harm already, by St. George!"

Sentinels were posted close around the house and garden; a sentinel on
every landing of the stair, a whole troop in the main entrance-hall; and
yet another about the bonfire in the shed. Sir Daniel's followers were
supplemented by Lord Shoreby's; there was thus no lack of men or weapons
to make the house secure, or to entrap a lurking enemy, should one be
there.

Meanwhile, the body of the spy was carried out through the falling snow
and deposited in the abbey church.

It was