ly engaged all night began to put on morning faces, to do honour to
the merrier ceremony which was about to follow. And further to announce
the coming of the day, the pious of the town began to assemble and fall
to prayer before their favourite shrines, or wait their turn at the
confessionals.

Favoured by this stir, it was of course easily possible for any man to
avoid the vigilance of Sir Daniel's sentries at the door; and presently
Dick, looking about him wearily, caught the eye of no less a person than
Will Lawless, still in his monk's habit.

The outlaw, at the same moment, recognised his leader, and privily signed
to him with hand and eye.

Now, Dick was far from having forgiven the old rogue his most untimely
drunkenness, but he had no desire to involve him in his own predicament;
and he signalled back to him, as plain as he was able, to begone.

Lawless, as though he had understood, disappeared at once behind a
pillar, and Dick breathed again.

What, then, was his dismay to feel himself plucked by the sleeve and to
find the old robber installed beside him, upon the next seat, and, to all
appearance, plunged in his devotions!

Instantly Sir Oliver arose from his place, and, gliding behind the
stalls, made for the soldiers in the aisle. If the priest's suspicions
had been so lightly wakened, the harm was already done, and Lawless a
prisoner in the church.

"Move not," whispered Dick. "We are in the plaguiest pass, thanks,
before all things, to thy swinishness of yestereven. When ye saw me
here, so strangely seated where I have neither right nor interest, what a
murrain I could ye not smell harm and get ye gone from evil?"

"Nay," returned Lawless, "I thought ye had heard from Ellis, and were
here on duty."

"Ellis!" echoed Dick. "Is Ellis, then, returned?

"For sure," replied the outlaw. "He came last night, and belted me sore
for being in wine--so there ye are avenged, my master. A furious man is
Ellis Duckworth! He hath ridden me hot-spur from Craven to prevent this
marriage; and, Master Dick, ye know the way of him--do so he will!"

"Nay, then," returned Dick, with composure, "you and I, my poor brother,
are dead men; for I sit here a prisoner upon suspicion, and my neck was
to answer for this very marriage that he purposeth to mar. I had a fair
choice, by the rood! to lose my sweetheart or else lose my life! Well,
the cast is thrown--it is to be my life."

"By the mass," cried Lawless,