humble furniture of the abbot.

What to do next they knew not, and Redwald, deeply mystified, was
reluctantly forced to own his discomfiture, and to prepare to pass the
night in the abbey. Accordingly, his men dispersed in search of food and
wine. Some found their way to the buttery; it was but poorly supplied,
all the provisions in the place having been given to the poorer pilgrims
by the departing monks. The cellar was not so easily emptied, and such
wine as had been stored up for future use was at once appropriated.

Redwald and Elfric, having shared the common meal gloomily, were seated
in the abbot's chamber--little did Elfric dream that his brother had
so recently been in the same room--when one of the guards entered,
bringing with him a stranger. He turned out to be a neighbouring thane,
one of those bitter enemies to Dunstan whom Edwy had planted round the
monastery, and he came to give information that he had seen Dunstan with
five companions escaping by the Foss Way.

Redwald jumped up eagerly. "How long since?" he asked.

"About two hours, and ten miles off, I was returning home from a distant
farm of mine."

"Why did you not stop them?"

"I was too weak for that; they were six to one. I heard you had been
seen coming here by a cowherd, and came to warn you. If you ride fast
you may catch the holy fox yet before he runs to earth; but you must be
very quick."

"What pace were they riding?"

"Slowly at that moment; it was up a hill."

Redwald rushed from the room, crying, "To horse, to horse!" but found
only a portion of his men awake: the others were mainly drunk and
sleeping it off on the floor.

Cursing their untimely indulgence, he got about a dozen men rapidly
mounted on the fleetest horses, taking care Elfric should be one, and
dashed off in pursuit of the fugitives.

Dunstan and his party had ridden some four or five hours, when the moon
became overcast, and low peals of distant thunder were heard. The
atmosphere was so intensely hot, and the silence of nature so
oppressive, that it was evident some convulsion was at hand.

"Is there any shelter near?"

"Only a ruined city [xxiv] in the wood on the left hand,
but it is a dangerous place to approach after nightfall. They say evil
spirits lurk there."

"They tell that story of every ruined place, be it city, temple, or
house; and even if it be, we have more cause to dread evil men than evil
spirits."

The guide hesitated no longer, and