r, "and it will be dark ere you reach the Hall,
my lord. Had you not better change your mind?"

The knight declined the request in the most emphatic manner, and
placed his foot upon the stirrup to mount.

"There be many rogues and footpads in the neighbourhood of late, and
especially to-day," pursued the other. "I have had as ill-looking a
crew in my house to-day as I ever clapt eyes upon; I am sure they bode
no good."

Nothing, however, could persuade Sir George to stay, and seeing that
his guest was obdurate, the host continued,

"Stay awhile, Sir George, an' thou wilt, thou shalt at least have a
man of mine to accompany thee. The neighbourhood is full of knaves of
late, and I like it not that thou should'st go alone."

But the offer was lightly refused; and fearing nothing for his own
safety, the old knight spurred his horse forward, and in a few moments
was lost to sight in the fast-settling gloom.

Little time as he and Sir Thomas had lost in leaving London, and quick
as they had been in reaching Derby, there had yet been those who had
been more expeditious than they.

Upon the receipt of the unwelcome news which the ostler had brought to
them, Edmund Wynne's confederates at once departed from the city, and
under the leadership of Sir Ronald Bury hastened on, with few rests,
to the wilds of Derbyshire, to perform the deed, still enshrouded in
mystery, which they had been hired, if necessary, to perform.

Blissfully unconscious of the trap into which he was rushing, and
wholly contemptuous of the idea of being benighted, the lord of Haddon
rode fearlessly on. The way was dark to be sure, but he knew it well,
and what added to his confidence was the fact that he was right in the
very heart of his own possessions.

He had barely ridden a couple of furlongs, though, before his horse
became restive, and in response to a free application of both whip and
spur only pricked up its ears and advanced in a more unsatisfactory
manner than before.

Still suspecting nothing, the baron applied the whip more vigorously.
He perceived, clearly enough, that his charger was frightened at
something or other, and to inspire it with a little of his own courage
he started to whistle a lively tune which he had heard Dorothy play
upon the spinet till he got it well by heart.

The tune was never finished, for barely had he begun it when the
branch of a tree, which was hurled at him from the side of the road,
completely unhorsed