means he had
saved his purse from the hands of the robbers.

Culverhouse listened to the story, and when it was done he said:

"Take heed, good Cuthbert, that thou dost not meet with a worse
mischance than the loss of thy purse. I would sooner have mine
filched from me by freebooters than owe aught to Robert Catesby
that could give him any claim upon me."

Cuthbert looked up quickly. Since that night when he had delivered
the papers to Catesby, and had seen and heard so much that was
mysterious, he had gradually let the strange incident slip from his
memory. Nothing had occurred to recall it, or to render him in any
wise uneasy. He had seen nothing of Catesby or his companions.
Father Urban had said that they had all dispersed into the country.
He himself shortly took leave of the Coles, and was taken off by a
boat on a dark night to reach a vessel about to start for Spain.
The whole incident seemed more like a dream than a reality now; and
Cuthbert's vague sense of uneasiness had by this time died quite
away.

"What dost thou mean?" he asked, as the Viscount's words fell on
his ear.

"No more than this, that yon Catesby is a dangerous man. I know
naught against him, save that he is a Papist of the type I like
not--a plotting, designing, desperate type, that ofttimes injure
themselves far more than they injure others, yet too often drag
their friends and those who trust them to destruction with
them--and all for some wild and foolish design which they have not
the wits to carry through, and against which Heaven itself fights
to its overthrow. Have no dealings with this same Catesby, good
Cuthbert; thou wilt rue it an thou dost."

"I am not like to see him again," answered Cuthbert slowly. "He is
gone I know not whither. If men look thus darkly upon him,
doubtless he will not adventure himself in London again."

"I know not how that may be. My father hath heard disquieting
rumours of late, and the name of Robert Catesby is mingled in all
of them. However, he speaks little to me of matters of state. Men
in high places are for ever hearing whispers and rumours, and it
boots not to give over-much credence to every idle tale. Only, what
thou spakest of this Catesby recalled the matter to my mind. He is
a man to fear, to avoid. He has a way with him that wins men's
hearts; yet it is but the fatal fascination of the glittering
snake, that snares the fluttering bird to its destruction. So, at
least, I have heard."