y, when a man, but newly alighted at the gate, came running
four stairs at a bound, and, brushing through the abbey servants, threw
himself on one knee before the duke.

"Victory, my lord," he cried.

And before Dick had got to the chamber set apart for him as Lord Foxham's
guest, the troops in the holm were cheering around their fires; for upon
that same day, not twenty miles away, a second crushing blow had been
dealt to the power of Lancaster.

CHAPTER VII--DICK'S REVENGE

The next morning Dick was afoot before the sun, and having dressed
himself to the best advantage with the aid of the Lord Foxham's baggage,
and got good reports of Joan, he set forth on foot to walk away his
impatience.

For some while he made rounds among the soldiery, who were getting to
arms in the wintry twilight of the dawn and by the red glow of torches;
but gradually he strolled further afield, and at length passed clean
beyond the outposts, and walked alone in the frozen forest, waiting for
the sun.

His thoughts were both quiet and happy. His brief favour with the Duke
he could not find it in his heart to mourn; with Joan to wife, and my
Lord Foxham for a faithful patron, he looked most happily upon the
future; and in the past he found but little to regret.

As he thus strolled and pondered, the solemn light of the morning grew
more clear, the east was already coloured by the sun, and a little
scathing wind blew up the frozen snow. He turned to go home; but even as
he turned, his eye lit upon a figure behind, a tree.

"Stand!" he cried. "Who goes?"

The figure stepped forth and waved its hand like a dumb person. It was
arrayed like a pilgrim, the hood lowered over the face, but Dick, in an
instant, recognised Sir Daniel.

He strode up to him, drawing his sword; and the knight, putting his hand
in his bosom, as if to seize a hidden weapon, steadfastly awaited his
approach.

"Well, Dickon," said Sir Daniel, "how is it to be? Do ye make war upon
the fallen?"

"I made no war upon your life," replied the lad; "I was your true friend
until ye sought for mine; but ye have sought for it greedily."

"Nay--self-defence," replied the knight. "And now, boy, the news of this
battle, and the presence of yon crooked devil here in mine own wood, have
broken me beyond all help. I go to Holywood for sanctuary; thence
overseas, with what I can carry, and to begin life again in Burgundy or
France."

"Ye may not go to Holywood,"