emed them those of the
priest and his acolytes come to administer the last rites of the church
to his dying mistress. Rage and anxiety for his master gave strength
to his limbs. He threw on a few clothes and rushed down to the stables,
where the horses stood with great piles of forage and pails of water
before them, placed there two days before, by Walter when their last
attendant died. Without waiting to saddle it, Ralph sprang upon the back
of one of the animals, and taking the halters of four others started at
a gallop down to the village.

His news spread like wild fire, for the ringing of the alarm-bell of
the castle had drawn all to their doors and prepared them for something
strange. Some of the men had already taken their arms and were making
their way up to the castle when they met Ralph. There were but five men
in the village who had altogether escaped the pestilence; others had
survived its attacks, but were still weak. Horses there were in plenty.
The five men mounted at once, with three others who, though still weak,
were able to ride.

So great was the excitement that seven women who had escaped the disease
armed themselves with their husbands' swords and leaped on horseback,
declaring that, women though they were, they would strike a blow for
their beloved lord, who had been as an angel in the village during the
plague. Thus it was scarcely more than ten minutes after the marauders
had left the castle before a motley band, fifteen strong, headed by
Ralph, rode off in pursuit, while some of the women of the village
hurried up to the castle to comfort Edith with the tidings that the
pursuit had already commenced. Fortunately a lad in the fields had
noticed the five men ride away from the castle, and was able to point
out the direction they had taken.

At a furious gallop Ralph and his companions tore across the country.
Mile after mile was passed. Once or twice they gained news from
labourers in the field of the passage of those before them, and knew
that they were on the right track. They had now entered a wild and
sparsely inhabited country. It was broken and much undulated, so that
although they knew that the band they were pursuing were but a short
distance ahead they had not yet caught sight of them, and they hoped
that, having no reason to dread any immediate pursuit, these would soon
slacken their pace. This expectation was realized, for on coming over a
brow they saw the party halted at a turf-bu