be) that I know aught whatever about him; and furthermore,
I will throw open my house, upon any day and at any time, to
whatever persons shall be sent to seek him, and will aid them in
every possible way in the finding of the offender."

A murmur of approval went round the company. The prior looked
pleased, and a smile crossed his face.

The only person who did not seem gratified by this openness was the
Lord of Mortimer, whose face contracted sourly, and who gave a keen
glance at his rival, as though he would have read his very soul.
But the calm gaze with which Sir Oliver returned this look did not
appear to restore his equanimity, and he flashed a glance at his
son-in-law which plainly betokened surprise and chagrin.

"Well spoken, Sir Oliver," said the prior; "and since I have
excellent reason to know that the brother has not left Chad, and
cannot do it without my knowledge, it is plain to me that he is
hiding in some place there, albeit all unknown to you and yours.
Wherefore, on the morrow, I myself, together with my good friend
the Lord of Mortimer, will present ourselves at Chad, and make full
search, and we shall no doubt find the heretic monk cowering away
in some undreamed-of hiding place, and will drag him thence to the
fate he so well merits.

"Chad has its secrets, has it not? I have heard of them in days
gone by."

"It has several cunning nooks and crannies, but all of these will I
myself display to you upon the morrow," replied the knight calmly;
and the Lord of Mortimer arose with a crafty smile upon his face,
and addressed the prior in these words:

"Reverend father, I do not willingly speak ill of my neighbours,
least of all of one who is now near akin to me through the marriage
of my daughter with Sir Edward, who comes of the old stock of Chad.
Yet I cannot but state here, in this place, that I hold Sir Oliver
to have drawn down suspicion upon himself by failing to give up
Brother Emmanuel a week ago when it was demanded of him. There be
something to my mind strange and unworthy in such an act; and I
here call upon all men to witness that I verily believe we shall
find this traitor monk sheltering within the walls of Chad, and
that if this be so I shall openly accuse Sir Oliver before all the
world--before the king himself--of harbouring traitors and
heretics, and shall make petition that Chad and all that pertains
to it be forfeit, as the penalty for such evil courses, and be
given to the r