rifling
the dead bodies, Dick made once more the circuit of the garden wall to
examine the front of the house. In a little upper loophole of the roof
he beheld a light set; and as it would certainly be visible in town from
the back windows of Sir Daniel's mansion, he doubted not that this was
the signal feared by Hawksley, and that ere long the lances of the Knight
of Tunstall would arrive upon the scene.

He put his ear to the ground, and it seemed to him as if he heard a
jarring and hollow noise from townward. Back to the beach he went
hurrying. But the work was already done; the last body was disarmed and
stripped to the skin, and four fellows were already wading seaward to
commit it to the mercies of the deep.

A few minutes later, when there debauched out of the nearest lanes of
Shoreby some two score horsemen, hastily arrayed and moving at the gallop
of their steeds, the neighbourhood of the house beside the sea was
entirely silent and deserted.

Meanwhile, Dick and his men had returned to the ale-house of the Goat and
Bagpipes to snatch some hours of sleep before the morning tryst.

CHAPTER III--ST. BRIDE'S CROSS

St. Bride's cross stood a little way back from Shoreby, on the skirts of
Tunstall Forest. Two roads met: one, from Holywood across the forest;
one, that road from Risingham down which we saw the wrecks of a
Lancastrian army fleeing in disorder. Here the two joined issue, and
went on together down the hill to Shoreby; and a little back from the
point of junction, the summit of a little knoll was crowned by the
ancient and weather-beaten cross.

Here, then, about seven in the morning, Dick arrived. It was as cold as
ever; the earth was all grey and silver with the hoarfrost, and the day
began to break in the east with many colours of purple and orange.

Dick set him down upon the lowest step of the cross, wrapped himself well
in his tabard, and looked vigilantly upon all sides. He had not long to
wait. Down the road from Holywood a gentleman in very rich and bright
armour, and wearing over that a surcoat of the rarest furs, came pacing
on a splendid charger. Twenty yards behind him followed a clump of
lances; but these halted as soon as they came in view of the
trysting-place, while the gentleman in the fur surcoat continued to
advance alone.

His visor was raised, and showed a countenance of great command and
dignity, answerable to the richness of his attire and arms. And it was