s opened. Then it was found that with
the exception of certain sums of money left to his nephews, a
legacy to Stangate Abbey, and another to be devoted to masses for
the repose of his soul, with some gifts to his servants and the
poor, all his estate was devised to his daughter Rosamund. The
brethren, or the survivor of them, however, held it in trust on
her behalf, with the charge that they should keep watch and ward
over her, and manage her lands till she took a husband.

These lands, together with their own, the brethren placed in the
hands of Prior John of Stangate, in the presence of witnesses, to
administer for them subject to the provisions of the will, taking
a tithe of the rents and profits for his pains. The priceless
jewels also that had been sent by Saladin were given into his
keeping, and a receipt with a list of the same signed in
duplicate, deposited with a clerk at Southminster. This, indeed,
was necessary, seeing that none save the brethren and the Prior
knew of these jewels, of which, being of so great a value, it was
not safe to speak. Their affairs arranged, having first made
their wills in favour of each other with remainder to their
heirs-at-law, since it was scarcely to be hoped that both of them
would return alive from such a quest, they received the
Communion, and with it his blessing from the hands of the Prior
John. Then early one morning, before any were astir, they rode
quietly away to London.

On the top of Steeple Hill, sending forward the servant who led
the mule laden with their baggage--that same mule which had been
left by the spy Nicholas--the brethren turned their horses' heads
to look in farewell on their home. There to the north of them lay
the Blackwater, and to the west the parish of Mayland, towards
which the laden barges crept along the stream of Steeple Creek.
Below was the wide, flat, plain outlined with trees, and in it,
marked by the plantation where the Saracens had hid, the Hall and
church of Steeple, the home in which they had grown from
childhood to youth, and from youth to man's estate in the company
of the fair, lost Rosamund, who was the love of both, and whom
both went forth to seek. That past was all behind them, and in
front a dark and troublous future, of which they could not read
the mystery nor guess the end.

Would they ever look on Steeple Hall again? Were they who stood
there about to match their strength and courage against all the
might of Saladin, d