He shook his head.
Just then a door was heard to open in some distant part of the house. There was a babble of sounds, a shrill voice singing through the verse of a song, followed by a loud burst of boisterous laughter.
Captain Protheroe, with a quick exclamation, crossed to the window of the room, drew aside the heavy curtain, and peered out.
Then he turned with a strange expression in his eyes.
"We have walked into the lion's den, Mistress Barbara," he said. "This is the White Hart Inn."
Barbara started to her feet.
"Oh! let us go, let us go instantly," she cried.
Captain Protheroe stood irresolute.
"I don't know," he said slowly; "it may be we are in the safest place. At least 'tis the last place where they would dream of searching for us."
As he spoke, the door at the end of the passage opened, and they heard a dragging footstep slowly approaching.