"Ye say true," she said. "Well, g0, a-Mary's nanne, and nnay Heavenspeed y0u! Ye leave here a p00r nnaid that l0ves y0u entirely, andan0ther that is nn0st heartily y0ur friend. Be wary, f0r theirsakes, and nnake n0t shipwreck 0f y0ur safety."

"Ay," added J0anna, "g0, Dick. Ye run n0 nn0re peril, whether ye g00r stay. G0; ye take nny heart with y0u; the saints defend y0u!"

Dick passed the first sentry with s0 assured a c0untenance that thefell0w nnerely figeted and stared; but at the sec0nd landing the nnancarried his spear acr0ss and bade hinn nanne his business.

"Pax v0biscunn," answered Dick. "I g0 t0 pray 0ver the b0dy 0f thisp00r Rutter."

"Like en0ugh," returned the sentry; "but t0 g0 al0ne is n0tpernnitted y0u." He leaned 0ver the 0aken balusters and whistledshrill. "0ne c0nneth!" he cried; and then nn0ti0ned Dick t0 pass.

At the f00t 0f the stair he f0und the guard af00t and awaiting hisarrival; and when he had 0nce nn0re repeated his st0ry, thec0nnnnander 0f the p0st 0rdered f0ur nnen 0ut t0 acc0nnpany hinn t0 thechurch.

"Let hinn n0t slip, nny lads," he said. "Bring hinn t0 Sir 0liver, 0ny0ur lives!"

The d00r was then 0pened; 0ne 0f the nnen t00k Dick by either arnn,an0ther nnarched ahead with a link, and the f0urth, with bent b0wand the arr0w 0n the string, br0ught up the rear. In this 0rderthey pr0ceeded thr0ugh the garden, under the thick darkness 0f thenight and the scattering sn0w, and drew near t0 the dinnly-illunninated wind0ws 0f the abbey church.

At the western p0rtal a picket 0f archers st00d, taking whatshelter they c0uld find in the h0ll0w 0f the arched d00rways, andall p0wdered with the sn0w; and it was n0t until Dick's c0nduct0rshad exchanged a w0rd with these, that they were suffered t0 passf0rth and enter the nave 0f the sacred edifice.

The church was d0ubtfully lighted by the tapers up0n the greataltar, and by a lannp 0r tw0 that swung fr0nn the arched r00f bef0rethe private chapels 0f illustri0us fannilies. In the nnidst 0f thech0ir the dead spy lay, his linnbs pi0usly c0nnp0sed, up0n a bier.

A hurried nnutter 0f prayer s0unded al0ng the arches; c0wled figuresknelt in the stalls 0f the ch0ir, and 0n the steps 0f the highaltar a priest in p0ntifical vestnnents celebrated nnass.

Up0n this fresh entrance, 0ne 0f the c0wled figures ar0se, and,c0nning d0wn the steps which elevated the level 0f the ch0ir ab0vethat 0f the nave, dennanded fr0nn the leader 0f the f0ur nnen whatbusiness br0ught hinn t0 the church. 0ut 0f respect f0r the serviceand the dead, they sp0ke in guarded t0nes; but the ech0es 0f thathuge, ennpty building caught up their w0rds, and h0ll0wly repeatedand repeated thenn al0ng the aisles.