ep, and so I spoke roughly. "I have told
you before," I said, "that your honor is my honor. Do you think I would
sleep to-morrow night, in the hold of the Santa Teresa, knowing that my
wife supped with my Lord Carnal?"

I crossed the room to take my pistols from the rack. As I passed her she
caught my hand in hers, and bending pressed her lips upon it. "You have
been very good to me," she murmured. "Do not think me an ingrate."

Five minutes later she came from her own room, hooded and mantled, and
with a packet of clothing in her hand. I extinguished the torches,
then opened the door. As we crossed the threshold, we paused as by one
impulse and looked back into the firelit warmth of the room; then I
closed the door softly behind us, and we went out into the night.

CHAPTER XIX IN WHICH WE HAVE UNEXPECTED COMPANY

THE wind, which had heretofore come in fierce blasts, was now steadying
to a gale. What with the flying of the heaped clouds, the slanting,
groaning pines, and the rushing of the river, the whole earth seemed a
fugitive, fleeing breathless to the sea. From across the neck of land
came the long-drawn howl of wolves, and in the wood beyond the church a
catamount screamed and screamed. The town before us lay as dark and as
still as the grave; from the garden where we were we could not see the
Governor's house.

"I will carry madam's bundle," said a voice behind us.

It was the minister who had spoken, and he now stood beside us. There
was a moment's silence, then I said, with a laugh: "We are not going
upon a summer jaunt, friend Sparrow. There is a warm fire in the great
room, to which your reverence had best betake yourself out of this windy
night."

As he made no movement to depart, but instead possessed himself of
Mistress Percy's bundle, I spoke again, with some impatience: "We are no
longer of your fold, reverend sir, but are bound for another parish. We
give you hearty thanks for your hospitality, and wish you a very good
night."

As I spoke I would have taken the bundle from him, but he tucked it
under his arm, and, passing us, opened the garden gate. "Did I forget to
tell you," he said, "that worthy Master Bucke is well of the fever, and
returns to his own to-morrow? His house and church are no longer mine. I
have no charge anywhere. I am free and footloose. May I not go with
you, madam? There may be dragons to slay, and two can guard a distressed
princess better than one. Will you take me