"I have heard nothing of him. I know little of what has been doing in the Isle, for I came back only yesterday morning. I did not hear of your death till then."
She paused with some choking in the throat, but in a moment resumed—
"You must lose no time in making yourself known to your friends. If the soldiers find you before that is done, they will drag you off to Hull."
"Where are these soldiers?" I asked.
"Some in Epworth, and some in Crowle," she replied.
Now I understood the by-play at the Bull. The blacksmith's man had gone to seek the officer, and the smith had not ventured to attempt to hold me until the soldiers came. Perhaps he had not felt entirely comfortable at the thought of giving up a poor wretch to life-long misery. I told Bess of the colloquy.
"Oh, you must go," she cried. "They may be on your track already."
"I will push on to my aunt's—to the Crowle vicarage," I answered.
"And I will go toward Epworth, and send the soldiers on a wild-goose chase, if I meet them," said Bess.
"But these men of war cannot all be looking for Ulceby, surely?"