red at once behind a
pillar, and Dick breathed again.

What, then, was his dismay to feel himself plucked by the sleeve and to
find the old robber installed beside him, upon the next seat, and, to
all appearance, plunged in his devotions!

Instantly Sir Oliver arose from his place, and, gliding behind the
stalls, made for the soldiers in the aisle. If the priest's suspicions
had been so lightly wakened, the harm was already done, and Lawless a
prisoner in the church.

"Move not," whispered Dick. "We are in the plaguiest pass, thanks,
before all things, to thy swinishness of yester-even. When ye saw me
here, so strangely seated, where I have neither right nor interest, what
a murrain! could ye not smell harm and get ye gone from evil?"

"Nay," returned Lawless, "I thought ye had heard from Ellis, and were
here on duty."

"Ellis!" echoed Dick. "Is Ellis then returned?"

"For sure," replied the outlaw. "He came last night, and belted me sore
for being in wine--so there ye are avenged, my master. A furious man is
Ellis Duckworth! He hath ridden me hot-spur from Craven to prevent this
marriage; and, Master Dick, ye know the way of him--do so he will!"

"Nay, then," returned Dick, with composure, "you and I, my poor brother,
are dead men; for I sit here a prisoner upon suspicion, and my neck was
to answer for this very marriage that he purposeth to mar. I had a fair
choice, by the rood! to lose my sweetheart or else lose my life! Well,
the cast is thrown--it is to be my life."

"By the mass," cried Lawless, half arising, "I am gone!"

But Dick had his hand at once upon his shoulder.

"Friend Lawless, sit ye still," he said. "An ye have eyes, look yonder
at the corner by the chancel arch; see ye not that, even upon the motion
of your rising, yon armed men are up and ready to intercept you? Yield
ye, friend. Ye were bold aboard ship, when ye thought to die a
sea-death; be bold again, now that y' are to die presently upon the
gallows."

"Master Dick," gasped Lawless, "the thing hath come upon me somewhat of
the suddenest. But give me a moment till I fetch my breath again; and,
by the mass, I will be as stout-hearted as yourself."

"Here is my bold fellow!" returned Dick. "And yet, Lawless, it goes hard
against the grain with me to die; but where whining mendeth nothing,
wherefore whine?"

"Nay, that indeed!" chimed Lawless. "And a fig for death, at worst! It
has to be done, my master, soon or late. And hanging in