his brain swam dizzily, like a man struggling in the eddies of a
furious river.

But the tall man who had already answered Dick, by a prodigious exercise
of voice restored silence and order in the mob.

"Search them," he said, "for arms. We may so judge of their intentions."

Upon Dick they found no weapon but his poniard, and this told in his
favour, until one man officiously drew it from its sheath, and found it
still uncleansed of the blood of Rutter. At this there was a great shout
among Sir Daniel's followers, which the tall man suppressed by a gesture
and an imperious glance. But when it came to the turn of Lawless, there
was found under his gown a sheaf of arrows identical with those that had
been shot.

"How say ye now?" asked the tall man, frowningly, of Dick.

"Sir," replied Dick, "I am here in sanctuary, is it not so? Well, sir, I
see by your bearing that ye are high in station, and I read in your
countenance the marks of piety and justice. To you, then, I will yield
me prisoner, and that blithely, foregoing the advantage of this holy
place. But rather than to be yielded into the discretion of that
man--whom I do here accuse with a loud voice to be the murderer of my
natural father and the unjust retainer of my lands and revenues--rather
than that, I would beseech you, under favour, with your own gentle hand,
to despatch me on the spot. Your own ears have heard him, how before
that I was proven guilty he did threaten me with torments. It standeth
not with your own honour to deliver me to my sworn enemy and old
oppressor, but to try me fairly by the way of law, and, if that I be
guilty indeed, to slay me mercifully."

"My lord," cried Sir Daniel, "ye will not hearken to this wolf? His
bloody dagger reeks him the lie into his face."

"Nay, but suffer me, good knight," returned the tall stranger; "your own
vehemence doth somewhat tell against yourself."

And here the bride, who had come to herself some minutes past and looked
wildly on upon this scene, broke loose from those that held her, and fell
upon her knees before the last speaker.

"My Lord of Risingham," she cried, "hear me, in justice. I am here in
this man's custody by mere force, reft from mine own people. Since that
day I had never pity, countenance, nor comfort from the face of man--but
from him only--Richard Shelton--whom they now accuse and labour to undo.
My lord, if he was yesternight in Sir Daniel's mansion, it was I that