report of the archer. "My brother, I looked not for your coming," he

added, turning to young Shelton. "In all civility, who are ye? and at

whose instance do ye join your supplications to ours?"

Dick, keeping his cowl about his face, signed to Sir Oliver to move a

pace or two aside from the archers; and, so soon as the priest had done

so, "I cannot hope to deceive you, sir," he said. "My life is in your

hands."

Sir Oliver violently started; his stout cheeks grew pale, and for a space

he was silent.

"Richard," he said, "what brings you here, I know not; but I much

misdoubt it to be evil. Nevertheless, for the kindness that was, I would

not willingly deliver you to harm. Ye shall sit all night beside me in

the stalls: ye shall sit there till my Lord of Shoreby be married, and

the party gone safe home; and if all goeth well, and ye have planned no

evil, in the end ye shall go whither ye will. But if your purpose be

bloody, it shall return upon your head. Amen!"

And the priest devoutly crossed himself, and turned and louted to the

altar.

With that, he spoke a few words more to the soldiers, and taking Dick by

the hand, led him up to the choir, and placed him in the stall beside his

own, where, for mere decency, the lad had instantly to kneel and appear

to be busy with his devotions.

The Black Arrow