John came forward to the fire, and then his wife saw the look on
his face, and knew that some terrible thing had happened.

"Dear heart," he said, huskily, "the Lord doth all things well."

"A sure sign," murmured Dr Thorpe, "that something hath gone ill, when a
man shall say that at his first home-coming. What is it, Jack? Hath
Robin brake his leg in the frost?"

Suddenly the dread truth rushed on Isoult.

"O Jack, Jack! is Mr Rose taken?" she cried in terror.

John pointed above, where were two who must not hear that awful news
unprepared.

"Mr Rose, and all his hearers saving two."

"The good Lord have mercy upon them!"

So Dr Thorpe; but Isoult was silent. Tears would not come yet. "Who
were the two, Jack? Is it Robin or Esther they have taken?" pursued Dr
Thorpe, with his brows knit. "Both," said he, shortly.

It was strange: but for the first moment Isoult had not remembered
either Esther or Robin. Two thoughts alone were present to her; that Mr
Rose was taken, and that John was safe. Now the full sorrow broke on
her.

"O Jack, Jack! our Robin!--and Esther, too!"

"Beloved," said he, his voice trembling, "both are safe with Him who
having died for His own that are in the world, loveth them unto the end.
There shall not an hair of their heads perish. `Of them that thou
gavest Me have I lost none.'"

"Who was the other that 'scaped them?"

"A man whose name I knew not," said John. "Both we stood close to a
great closet in the wall, and slid therein noiselessly on the Sheriff's
entering; and by the good providence of God, it never came in their
heads to open that door. So when they all were gone, and the street
quiet, we could go softly down the stairs, and win thence."

"And where were Robin and Esther?"

"Esther was on the further side of the chamber, by Mistress Sheerson,
and Robin stood near Rose at the other end thereof."

"Was the service over?"

"No. Rose was in the act of giving the bread of the Lord's Supper."

Dr Thorpe asked all these questions, and more; Isoult could ask only
one. "How shall I tell _them_?"

The troubles of that night were so many that she could scarcely feel
each to the full. She would have sorrowed more for Esther had there not
been Robin; and perchance even more for Robin had Mrs Rose's anguish and
Thekla's weighed less upon her.

"Thank God, Thekla was not there!" said John.

The last word had not fallen from his lips when, with no sound to her