heir music
at night was the howling of the wind in those heavily laden
Christmas-trees, and the noise of the chains in which the men were
hanged."

Mr. Stewart's narratives were engrossing to the two ladies and Sir
Nicholas. They had never come so close to the struggles of the Catholics
in the north before; and although the Northern Rebellion had ended so
disastrously, yet it was encouraging, although heartbreaking too, to hear
that delicate women and children were ready gladly to suffer such
miseries if the religious cause that was so dear to them could be thereby
helped. Sir Nicholas, as has been said, was in two minds as to the
lawfulness of rising against a temporal sovereign in defence of religious
liberties. His whole English nature revolted against it, and yet so many
spiritual persons seemed to favour it. His simple conscience was
perplexed. But none the less he could listen with the most intense
interest and sympathy to these tales of these co-religionists of his own,
who were so clearly convinced of their right to rebel in defence of their
faith.

And so with such stories the August afternoon passed away. It was a
thundery day, which it would have been pleasanter to spend in the garden,
but that, Sir Nicholas said, under the circumstances was not to be
thought of; so they threw the windows wide to catch the least breath of
air; and the smell of the flower-garden came sweetly up and flooded the
low cool room; and so they sat engrossed until the evening.

Supper was ordered for Mr. Stewart at half-past seven o'clock; and this
meal Sir Nicholas had consented should be laid downstairs in his own
private room opening out of the hall, and that he and his ladies should
sit down to table at the same time. Mr. Stewart went to his room an hour
before to dress for riding, and to superintend the packing of his
saddle-bags; and at half-past seven he was conducted downstairs by Sir
Nicholas who insisted on carrying the saddle-bags with his own hands, and
they found the two ladies waiting for them in the panelled study that had
one window giving upon the terrace that ran along the south of the house
above the garden. When supper had been brought in by Sir Nicholas' own
body-servant, Mr. Boyd, they sat down to supper after a grace from Sir
Nicholas. The horses were ordered for nine o'clock.

CHAPTER VII

THE DOOR IN THE GARDEN-WALL

On the morning of the day aft