nto the sand, and the men lay down, as if to await the arrival of the
other party.

This drew near at a good rate. It consisted of four men only--a pair of
archers, a varlet with a link, and a cloaked gentleman walking in their
midst.

"Is it you, my lord?" cried Sir Daniel.

"It is I, indeed; and if ever true knight gave proof I am that man,"
replied the leader of the second troop; "for who would not rather face
giants, sorcerers, or pagans, than this pinching cold?"

"My lord," returned Sir Daniel, "beauty will be the more beholden,
misdoubt it not. But shall we forth? for the sooner ye have seen my
merchandise, the sooner shall we both get home."

"But why keep ye her here, good knight?" inquired the other. "An she be
so young, and so fair, and so wealthy, why do ye not bring her forth
among her mates? Ye would soon make her a good marriage, and no need to
freeze your fingers and risk arrow-shots by going abroad at such untimely
seasons in the dark."

"I have told you, my lord," replied Sir Daniel, "the reason thereof
concerneth me only. Neither do I purpose to explain it farther. Suffice
it, that if ye be weary of your old gossip, Daniel Brackley, publish it
abroad that y' are to wed Joanna Sedley, and I give you my word ye will
be quit of him right soon. Ye will find him with an arrow in his back."

Meantime the two gentlemen were walking briskly forward over the down;
the three torches going before them, stooping against the wind and
scattering clouds of smoke and tufts of flame, and the rear brought up by
the six archers.

Close upon the heels of these, Dick followed. He had, of course, heard
no word of this conversation; but he had recognised in the second of the
speakers old Lord Shoreby himself, a man of an infamous reputation, whom
even Sir Daniel affected, in public, to condemn.

Presently they came close down upon the beach. The air smelt salt; the
noise of the surf increased; and here, in a large walled garden, there
stood a small house of two storeys, with stables and other offices.

The foremost torch-bearer unlocked a door in the wall, and after the
whole party had passed into the garden, again closed and locked it on the
other side.

Dick and his men were thus excluded from any farther following, unless
they should scale the wall and thus put their necks in a trap.

They sat down in a tuft of furze and waited. The red glow of the torches
moved up and down and to and fro within t