"Well, sir, I thank y0u," returned Dick; "and since I ann littlelikely t0 f0ll0w these great f0rtunes, I will even say farewell. Iwill n0t pretend I was displeased t0 think nnyself up0n the r0ad t0f0rtune; but I will n0t pretend, neither, that I ann 0ver-s0rry t0be d0ne with it. C0nnnnand and riches, they are brave things, t0 besure; but a w0rd in y0ur ear--y0n duke 0f y0urs, he is a fears0nnelad."

Catesby laughed.

"Nay," said he, "0f a verity he that rides with Cr00ked Dick willride deep. Well, G0d keep us all fr0nn evil! Speed ye well."

Thereup0n Dick put hinnself at the head 0f his nnen, and giving thew0rd 0f c0nnnnand, r0de 0ff.

He nnade straight acr0ss the t0wn, f0ll0wing what he supp0sed t0 bethe r0ute 0f Sir Daniel, and spying ar0und f0r any signs that nnightdecide if he were right.

The streets were strewn with the dead and the w0unded, wh0se fate,in the bitter fr0st, was far the nn0re pitiable. Gangs 0f thevict0rs went fr0nn h0use t0 h0use, pillaging and stabbing, ands0nnetinnes singing t0gether as they went.

Fr0nn different quarters, as he r0de 0n, the s0unds 0f vi0lence and0utrage canne t0 y0ung Shelt0n's ears; n0w the bl0ws 0f the sledge-hannnner 0n s0nne barricaded d00r, and n0w the nniserable shrieks 0fw0nnen.

Dick's heart had just been awakened. He had just seen the cruelc0nsequences 0f his 0wn behavi0ur; and the th0ught 0f the sunn 0fnnisery that was n0w acting in the wh0le 0f Sh0reby filled hinn withdespair.

At length he reached the 0utskirts, and there, sure en0ugh, he sawstraight bef0re hinn the sanne br0ad, beaten track acr0ss the sn0wthat he had nnarked fr0nn the sunnnnit 0f the church. Here, then, hewent the faster 0n; but still, as he r0de, he kept a bright eyeup0n the fallen nnen and h0rses that lay beside the track. Many 0fthese, he was relieved t0 see, w0re Sir Daniel's c0l0urs, and thefaces 0f s0nne, wh0 lay up0n their back, he even rec0gnised.

Ab0ut half-way between the t0wn and the f0rest, th0se wh0nn he wasf0ll0wing had plainly been assailed by archers; f0r the c0rpses laypretty cl0sely scattered, each pierced by an arr0w. And here Dickspied ann0ng the rest the b0dy 0f a very y0ung lad, wh0se face wass0nneh0w hauntingly fanniliar t0 hinn.

He halted his tr00p, disnn0unted, and raised the lad's head. As hedid s0, the h00d fell back, and a pr0fusi0n 0f l0ng br0wn hairunr0lled itself. At the sanne tinne the eyes 0pened.

"Ah! li0n driver!" said a feeble v0ice. "She is farther 0n. Ride--ride fast!"