are aware----"

"Are no longer Sir Luke's. I see what you are driving at, count,"
returned Dick, coldly. "But he will need it to establish his claim to
the title, and he shall have it. While he was Sir Luke, with ten
thousand a year, I drove a hard bargain, and would have stood out for
the last stiver. Now that he is one of '_us_', a mere Knight of the
Road, he shall have it and welcome."

"Perhaps Lady Rookwood, or Mrs. Mowbray, might be inclined to treat,"
maliciously insinuated the count; "the title may be worth something to
Ranulph."

"It is worth more to Luke; and if it were _not_, he gets it. Are you
satisfied?"

"Perfectly," replied the count, with affected _bonhomie_; "and I will
now let you into a secret respecting Miss Mowbray, from which you may
gather something for your guidance in this matter; and if the word of a
woman is at all to be trusted, though individually I cannot say I have
much faith in it, Sir Luke's planetary hour is not yet completely
overcast."

"That's exactly what I wish to know, my dear fellow," said Turpin,
eagerly. "You have already told me you were witness to a singular
interview between Miss Mowbray and Sir Luke after my departure from the
priory. If I mistook you not, the whole business will hinge upon that.
What occurred? Let me have every particular. The whole history and
mystery."

"You shall have it with pleasure," said the count; "and I hope it may
tend to your benefit. After I had quitted the scene of action at the
priory, and at your desire left the Rookwood party masters of the field,
I fled with the rest of the crew towards the rocks. There we held a
council of war for a short time. Some were for returning to the fight;
but this was negatived entirely, and in the end it was agreed that those
who had wives, daughters, and sisters, should join them as speedily as
possible at their retreat in the Grange. As I happened to have none of
these attractive ties, and had only a troublesome mistress, who I
thought could take care of herself, I did not care to follow them, but
struck deeper into the wood, and made my way, guided by destiny, I
suppose, towards the cave."

"The cave!" cried Dick, rubbing his hands; "I delight in a cave. Tom
King and I once had a cave of our own at Epping, and I'll have another
one of these fine days. A cave is as proper to a high-tobyman as a
castle to a baron. Pray go on."

"The cave I speak of," continued the count, "was seldom used, except
u