here was no disobeying the imperious gesture of the old woman.
Cuthbert would fain have lingered to ask more questions, but he
dared not do so. With a few brief words of thanks and farewell, he
took Cherry's hand and turned away. The bolt of the door flew back;
the door opened of itself again. The cat stalked on before down the
dark staircase, and a faint gleam from above showed them the way
down. The outer door sprang open before and closed behind them, and
the next minute Cuthbert was hurrying his companion along the dark
street, pulling her into the shadow of a doorway if any sounds
announced the approach of any of the tavern roisterers, and so
protecting her from any danger or peril till they stood at last in
safety beneath Martin Holt's roof, and looked wonderingly into each
other's eyes, as if questioning whether it had not all been part
and parcel of a dream.

They had not been long gone; a bare hour had elapsed since they had
stolen out into the darkness together. There was no fear that any
other member of Martin Holt's household would be back for a
considerable time. The two conspirators bent over the scrap of
parchment they placed between them on the table, and pored
earnestly over it together.

"What does it mean, Cuthbert? what can it mean? Canst read the
words aright?"

"Ay, it is well writ. I can read it, but I know not what it means."

"Read it again to me."

He obeyed, and she forthwith began to ask a hundred questions.

"'Three times three'--that comes so many times. What can that mean,
Cuthbert? it must mean something."

"Yes, doubtless, but I know not what."

"And again, 'Robin's gain is Trevlyn's loss.' Cuthbert, who may
Robin be?"

"I know not: Yet stop--hold! Yes, I have it now. Not that it may be
aught of import. Robin is a name a score of men may bear even in
one village. But when the robbers of the road found themselves at
the ruined mill where the gipsies were, I heard the leader ask,
'Where is Long Robin?'"

"And was he there?" asked Cherry eagerly.

"I know not: none answered the question, and I heeded it no more.
Most like he was but some serving man they wanted to take the
horses."

"Cuthbert, it seems plain that some Robin has stolen this treasure,
and carried it off and hidden it. The verses must mean that!"

"Ay, I doubt it not, Cherry," answered Cuthbert, smiling; "but see
you not, fair cousin, that almost any person knowing of this lost
treasure and the legend of the