he means to remain unseen," thought Edred to himself. "If
he had not been a spy he would have greeted me as I passed. He is
after no good. Thank Heaven we have seen and heard what we have! We
can so manage now that Brother Emmanuel set not foot beyond the
courtyard for long enough to come--not till he may sally forth to
make his way to the coast."

And then a sudden fear smote the boy that per chance this night
journey to the coast might not be so easy to accomplish as had been
hoped. If the cunning prior had set a watch upon Chad with the very
object of preventing the escape of his intended victim, might it
not well be that his father's forethought would be of no avail?

But it would not do to lose heart--time might show a way of escape;
and Edred hurried within, and found Brother Emmanuel awaiting his
tardy pupils, the great Bible open before him, the sunset light
illuminating his face till, to the boy's ardent imagination, it
seemed to be encircled by a nimbus.

His story was soon excitedly told, and as Brother Emmanuel heard of
Sir Oliver's sudden journey, a look almost as of pain crossed his
face.

"I have told thy father that I cannot and will not suffer harm to
befall him and his through his kindness to me. Boy, boy, these be
evil days in which to offend the powers that be; and it were
better, far better, I should give myself up to death than that hurt
should fall upon those I love and those who have befriended me with
such generosity and love."

But Edred passionately disclaimed and explained.

"Brother, holy father, speak not so! thou wilt break our hearts! We
love thee! thou knowest that we love thee! And we think, we are
assured, that we can yet save thee, and ourselves too. Do not break
our hearts by giving thyself up ere we have tried our utmost. It
may be--nay, I am assured of it--that our blessed Saviour has a
great work for thee to do for Him somewhere. Has He not Himself
charged His servants if they be persecuted in one city to flee to
another? He has not bid them give themselves up to their foes, to
be hindered from doing the work He has put it into their hearts to
do.

"Pardon my forwardness if I seem to teach my preceptor. I do but
repeat words thou hast taught me. Stay with us--stay at Chad. There
be ways and means both for hiding and for flight of which few know
or dream. Let us have this alms to do for our Lord, that we hide
and save one of His servants. Thou canst little know what grie