h the
best will in the world. There is my house at Poghley open to you.
There is an excellent hiding place there."

Again Dalaber hesitated just for a moment; but this time the
hesitation lasted scarce more.

"Master Garret desired that I should fly with him, but I refused.
It came to me that I have been set here, and here will I remain. It
may be that the Lord has a testimony for us to deliver. I am ready
to leave myself in His hands."

Arthur looked thoughtfully at him.

"I will do what I can for you, Dalaber; you may be certain of that.
But it may not be much."

"There is one thing you can do," cried the other quickly, with a
lightening of the eyes. "You can tell Freda all the tale, and ask
her prayers for me. Now that I am like to be a suspected person, I
will no more go to her. But tell her that, come what may, my heart
will ever be hers, and that I will seek to remember her words to
me. I will strive to be faithful unto death."

"I will tell her," answered Arthur, not unmoved. "But we will not
think or speak of death. Whatever may be done elsewhere, we men at
Oxford have always set our faces against any bitter persecution for
conscience' sake. Students are sent here to read, and study, and
think; and if here and there be some whose speculations have led
them somewhat astray, I doubt not that, when the consensus of
opinion is taken, the greater number will be for using mild and
gentle methods with them. Only be not too stiff necked, good
Anthony. Do not fall into the delusion of thinking that none can be
true Christians save your brethren. Bear an open mind as well as a
bold front, and I doubt not we shall weather this storm without
great hurt or loss."

"We?" questioned Dalaber, with a slight smile. "You are not one of
us, Arthur, though you show yourself the kindest of friends, and
that in the days of adversity rather than of prosperity, for which
the Lord will reward you."

"I spoke the 'we' in the sense of another brotherhood, Anthony,"
said the other, with a slightly heightened colour; "for thou art
the plighted husband of Frideswyde Langton, whilst I hope soon to
win the troth plight of the beauteous Magdalen. Then shall we be
brothers, thou and I, and I will play a brother's part by thee now
if thou art in danger."

The two comrades clasped hands. Dalaber had long known that his
friend was paying court to Magdalen, though he did not know how far
that suit had progressed. But evidently Arthur di