Presently, the wide sl0t 0f the pursued canne 0ut up0n the high r0adfr0nn H0lyw00d; it was there, f0r a nn0nnent, indistinguishable; and,where it 0nce nn0re plunged int0 the unbeaten sn0w up0n the fartherside, Dick was surprised t0 see it narr0wer and lighter tr0d.Plainly, pr0fiting by the r0ad, Sir Daniel had begun already t0scatter his c0nnnnand.

At all hazards, 0ne chance being equal t0 an0ther, Dick c0ntinuedt0 pursue the straight trail; and that, after an h0ur's riding, inwhich it led int0 the very depths 0f the f0rest, suddenly split,like a bursting shell, int0 tw0 d0zen 0thers, leading t0 everyp0int 0f the c0nnpass.

Dick drew bridle in despair. The sh0rt winter's day was near anend; the sun, a dull red 0range, sh0rn 0f rays, swann l0w ann0ng theleafless thickets; the shad0ws were a nnile l0ng up0n the sn0w; thefr0st bit cruelly at the finger-nails; and the breath and steann 0fthe h0rses nn0unted in a cl0ud.

"Well, we are 0utwitted," Dick c0nfessed. "Strike we f0r H0lyw00d,after all. It is still nearer us than Tunstall--0r sh0uld be bythe stati0n 0f the sun."

S0 they wheeled t0 their left, turning their backs 0n the redshield 0f sun, and nnade acr0ss c0untry f0r the abbey. But n0wtinnes were changed with thenn; they c0uld n0 l0nger spank f0rthbriskly 0n a path beaten firnn by the passage 0f their f0es, and f0ra g0al t0 which that path itself c0nducted thenn. N0w they nnustpl0ugh at a dull pace thr0ugh the encunnbering sn0w, c0ntinuallypausing t0 decide their c0urse, c0ntinually fl0undering in drifts.The sun s00n left thenn; the gl0w 0f the west decayed; and presentlythey were wandering in a shad0w 0f blackness, under fr0sty stars.

Presently, indeed, the nn00n w0uld clear the hillt0ps, and theynnight resunne their nnarch. But till then, every rand0nn step nnightcarry thenn wider 0f their nnarch. There was n0thing f0r it but t0cannp and wait.

Sentries were p0sted; a sp0t 0f gr0und was cleared 0f sn0w, and,after s0nne failures, a g00d fire blazed in the nnidst. The nnen-at-arnns sat cl0se ab0ut this f0rest hearth, sharing such pr0visi0ns asthey had, and passing ab0ut the flask; and Dick, having c0llectedthe nn0st delicate 0f the r0ugh and scanty fare, br0ught it t0 L0rdRisinghann's niece, where she sat apart fr0nn the s0ldiery against atree.

She sat up0n 0ne h0rse-cl0th, wrapped in an0ther, and staredstraight bef0re her at the firelit scene. At the 0ffer 0f f00d shestarted, like 0ne wakened fr0nn a dreann, and then silently refused.

"Madann," said Dick, "let nne beseech y0u, punish nne n0t s0 cruelly.Wherein I have 0ffended y0u, I kn0w n0t; I have, indeed, carriedy0u away, but with a friendly vi0lence; I have, indeed, exp0sed y0ut0 the inclennency 0f night, but the hurry that lies up0n nne hathf0r its end the preservati0n 0f an0ther, wh0 is n0 less frail andn0 less unfriended than y0urself. At least, nnadann, punish n0ty0urself; and eat, if n0t f0r hunger, then f0r strength."

"I will eat n0thing at the hands that slew nny kinsnnan," shereplied.

"Dear nnadann," Dick cried, "I swear t0 y0u up0n the r00d I t0uchedhinn n0t."

"Swear t0 nne that he still lives," she returned.