the county,
and these must be specially informed, since they were known, and Mr.
Garlick in particular had already suffered banishment and returned
again, so that there would be no hope for him if he were once more
captured.

The four sat late that night; and Robin wondered more than ever, not
only at the self-command of the girl, but at her extraordinary knowledge
of Catholic affairs in the county. She calculated, almost without
mistake, as was afterwards shown, not only which priests were in
Derbyshire, but within a very few miles of where they would be and at
what time: she showed, half-smiling, a kind of chart which she had drawn
up, of the movements of the persons concerned, explaining the plan by
which each priest (if he desired) might go on his own circuit where he
would be most needed. She lamented, however, the fewness of the priests,
and attributed to this the growing laxity of many families--living, it
might be, in upland farms or in inaccessible places, where they could
but very seldom have the visits of the priest and the strength of the
sacraments.

Before midnight, therefore, the two travellers had complete directions
for their journey, as well as papers to help their memories, as to where
the news was to be left. And at last Mr. John stood up and stretched
himself.

"We must go to bed," he said. "We must be booted by five."

Marjorie nodded to Alice, who stood up, saying she would show him where
his bed had been prepared.

Robin lingered for a moment to finish his last notes.

"Mr. Alban," said Marjorie suddenly, without lifting her eyes from the
paper on which she wrote.

"Yes?"

"You will take care to-morrow, will you not?" she said. "Mr. John is a
little hot-headed. You must keep him to his route?"

"I will do my best," said Robin, smiling.

She lifted her clear eyes to his without tremor or shame.

"My heart would be broken altogether if aught happened to you. I look to
you as our Lord's chief soldier in this county."

"But--"

"That is so," she said. "I do not know any man who has been made perfect
in so short a time. You hold us all in your hands."

CHAPTER II

I

It was in Mr. Bassett's house at Langley that the news of the attack on
Padley reached the two travellers a month later, and it bore news in it
that they little expected.

For it seemed that, entirely unexpectedly, there had arrived at Padley
the following night no less than three of the FitzHerbert family