fallen into the possession
of some individual here, convicting many well-known gentlemen about
Wancote of loyalty to him that is over the sea, and Sir Harry Clare was
to carry the paper to Newbury to-night. I warrant some not very distant
friends of ours were shaking in their shoes."

"They rode four together and all well-armed; but Wild Jack was too much
for them--he and two others attacked the party; he seized the paper
himself, after a short encounter with young Clare, whose horse he shot
dead. That accomplished, all made off. The paper was lost. Some say Wild
Jack burnt it as he rode, some that he swallowed it, some that he tore
and scattered it to the four winds of heaven. Then, when in full flight,
his horse stumbled and fell, and the four gentlemen came up with him.
Entangled as he was by the fallen horse, he fought and kept all at bay
with his marvellous fencing powers till his men were far out of sight.
Then he broke his sword across his knee, saying that never should his
trusty weapon fall into the hands of the king's enemies. He was badly
wounded."

"Well?" cried Mary breathlessly. Betty sat down, she felt cold and
faint.

"Well, they took him that night to the nearest village, bound hand and
foot. At first they hardly knew the value of their captive, for he was
not riding his famous horse Seagull; had he been mounted as usual, small
chance would they have had of capturing Wild Jack. There was a hasty
assembly of magistrates, such as could be induced to come. I warrant
some would have died sooner than join in what followed. They caused a
gallows to be erected forty feet high on the king's high road, and there
they hanged Wild Jack."

"God rest his soul," said Betty. "John will be sorry indeed, as sorry as
I am."

"Yes, John always has a certain sympathy with the gentlemen of the
road," said Mr. Ives. "But after all, order must be kept, the roads must
be made safe. I know the government will be sorely displeased that the
list of suspected gentlemen has been saved, I mean lost."

It was too late, and all were too much excited by what had passed for
Betty to broach the subject of marriage to her father that night, but
she promised herself to do so early on the following morning.

It was very cold, and Betty could not sleep; in vain she turned from
side to side, in vain she drank water and paced her room, and tried all
the devices known to the sleepless--all was fruitless; her pillow seemed
to her on fi