ear, my friends; I will not betray you. And I
trow that there be few, save Master Garret and myself, who could
give all the names of the brotherhood, even were they willing."

They crowded round him and pressed his hands. Some shed tears, for
they all loved the warm-hearted and impetuous Dalaber, and knew
that at any moment now he might be arrested.

"At least you shall not go back to Gloucester College tonight,"
spoke Fitzjames eagerly. "They shall not take you there, like a rat
in a trap. Come to your old lodging for the night. It may be we
shall have thought out a plan by the morning. We will not let you
go without a struggle, Anthony. Come with me as of old, and we will
watch what betides in the city."

Dalaber consented, with a smile, to the entreaties of his friends.
He knew that it would make little difference whether he were taken
in one place or the other; but he loved Fitzjames, and was ready to
go with him.

"Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof," he said to himself,
whilst his friends escorted him in a body to his old lodging, and
left him there with every expression of affection and good will.

"I shall not be without comfort in the days to come," said Anthony,
"be they never so dark and drear."

Chapter XI: Evil Tidings

"Anthony Dalaber taken!" spoke Freda, and her face grew white to
the lips. "Oh, speak, good sir; what will they do to him?"

The monk who stood before the sisters, his cowl drawn over his
face, his hands folded in his sleeves, took up the word again,
which Freda's impulsive ejaculation had interrupted.

"He is not as yet taken prisoner, but he has been commanded to
appear before the prior, and I fear me that is but the first step.
He begged of me to come and tell you, and give you that packet,"
and his eyes rested upon a small parcel which Freda held tightly
between her two hands; "so here am I to do his bidding, without
staying to know what will befall him at the prior's hands. He went
to answer the summons as I came forth hither."

The monk had found the sisters in their garden, having followed
Dalaber's directions, and entered by the little door which he
himself had so ofttimes used. At this hour the sisters were wont,
in fine weather, to take an hour's exercise up and down the
pleasant sheltered walk beneath the wall. Here the monk had found
them, and had presented to Freda a small packet which contained
Dalaber's New Testament, of which he knew full well he