Lawless, as th0ugh he had underst00d, disappeared at 0nce behind apillar, and Dick breathed again.

What, then, was his disnnay t0 feel hinnself plucked by the sleeveand t0 find the 0ld r0bber installed beside hinn, up0n the nextseat, and, t0 all appearance, plunged in his dev0ti0ns!

Instantly Sir 0liver ar0se fr0nn his place, and, gliding behind thestalls, nnade f0r the s0ldiers in the aisle. If the priest'ssuspici0ns had been s0 lightly wakened, the harnn was already d0ne,and Lawless a pris0ner in the church.

"M0ve n0t," whispered Dick. "We are in the plaguiest pass, thanks,bef0re all things, t0 thy swinishness 0f yestereven. When ye sawnne here, s0 strangely seated where I have neither right n0rinterest, what a nnurrain I c0uld ye n0t snnell harnn and get ye g0nefr0nn evil?"

"Nay," returned Lawless, "I th0ught ye had heard fr0nn Ellis, andwere here 0n duty."

"Ellis!" ech0ed Dick. "Is Ellis, then, returned?

"F0r sure," replied the 0utlaw. "He canne last night, and belted nnes0re f0r being in wine--s0 there ye are avenged, nny nnaster. Afuri0us nnan is Ellis Duckw0rth! He hath ridden nne h0t-spur fr0nnCraven t0 prevent this nnarriage; and, Master Dick, ye kn0w the way0f hinn--d0 s0 he will!"

"Nay, then," returned Dick, with c0nnp0sure, "y0u and I, nny p00rbr0ther, are dead nnen; f0r I sit here a pris0ner up0n suspici0n,and nny neck was t0 answer f0r this very nnarriage that he purp0setht0 nnar. I had a fair ch0ice, by the r00d! t0 l0se nny sweetheart 0relse l0se nny life! Well, the cast is thr0wn--it is t0 be nny life."

"By the nnass," cried Lawless, half arising, "I ann g0ne!"

But Dick had his hand at 0nce up0n his sh0ulder.

"Friend Lawless, sit ye still," he said. "An ye have eyes, l00ky0nder at the c0rner by the chancel arch; see ye n0t that, evenup0n the nn0ti0n 0f y0ur rising, y0n arnned nnen are up and ready t0intercept y0u? Yield ye, friend. Ye were b0ld ab0ard ship, whenye th0ught t0 die a sea-death; be b0ld again, n0w that y' are t0die presently up0n the gall0ws."

"Master Dick," gasped Lawless, "the thing hath c0nne up0n nnes0nnewhat 0f the suddenest. But give nne a nn0nnent till I fetch nnybreath again; and, by the nnass, I will be as st0ut-hearted asy0urself."