matters mended soon) of what her
father had done; and whether in some manner he would not yet contrive to
separate us. My horse swerved a little, and I pulled him up, for there
were a couple of fellows immediately crossing before me. I saw that they
looked hard at me; but I noticed no more, for at that instant I heard a
horse coming up behind me, and turned to see that it was James. He
looked a little strange, thought I, but he said nothing: only he came
up, right beside me, and so rode with me through the gate.

He said nothing then, nor did I; and it was not until I was dismounted
and a fellow had run out to take the horses that he asked if he might
speak with me.

"Why, certainly," said I; and we turned together into the Court.

"Sir," he said, so soon as we were out of earshot of the guard, "did you
see those two fellows without the gate?" I said that I had.

"Sir," he said, "they were following you all the way from Chelsea. I
saw them at Winchester House; and I have seen them before to-day, too."

"Eh?" said I, a little startled.

Then he told me he had seen them for the last fortnight, three or four
times at least, and that he was sure they were after some mischief. Once
before to-day too, as we were riding in Southwark, and he had delayed
for a stone in his horse's foot, he had seen them run out from behind a
wall, but that they had made off when they saw him coming.

Now I knew very well what he meant. London was very far from being a
safe place in those days for a man that had enemies. There was scarcely
a week passed but there was some outrage, in broad daylight too, in less
populated parts, and in the various Fields, and after dark men were not
very safe in the City itself.

A year ago I should have thought nothing of it; but I was down in the
world now, I knew very well, and I had enemies who would stick at
nothing. It was true that they had let me alone for a while--no doubt
lest any suspicion should attach to them--but the winter was on us now,
and the mornings and evenings were dark; and, too, a good deal of time
had elapsed. I remembered what Mr. Chiffinch had said to me at the
beginning of the trouble.

"You did very well to tell me," I said. "Would you know them again if
you saw them?"

"I think so, sir," he said.

"Well," I said, "I have no doubt that they are after me. You will tell
my other men, will you not?"

"I told them a week ago," he said.

I said no more to him then; but inste