Outside began, faintly, a stirring. A cock crew and was answered. A dog barked—the cock-crow came again. A grey light stole in at the keyhole and under the door of the windowless place they were in. It strengthened until they could make out each other’s face and form. The dog barked again, men’s voices were heard.
Joan and Aderhold rose to their knees, to their feet, steadying each other, holding by the firewood. The place, through the night, had had the chill of the sepulchre. They knew it to be their last moment together; hereafter, to the end, there would be others by. They stood locked in each other’s arms, their lips meeting.... Steps were heard without and the fall of the chain from across the door. They released each other, they stood apart. The door swung open, light rushed in. “Come forth, you wicked ones! Time to ride on—and to-night we’ll lodge you in the nest you flew from!”
There could not have been a fairer autumn day. And now as they rode the country grew more and more familiar.... While the day was yet young, all were halted for a few minutes before a tavern set among trees, its sign a great rose painted on a black ground. While ale in jacks and tankards was brought forth for the guardians of the law, the two prisoners had brief speech together.
“The Rose Tavern,” said Aderhold. “It was in this place that I first met Master Hardwick. It was here that came the turn toward Hawthorn.”
“We have not far to go now.”
“No, not far.”
In the doorway stood the tall hostess that Aderhold remembered. She stood with arms akimbo, regarding the prisoners with a mien so hostile as to approach the ferocious. “Aaah!” she said. “I’d like to help bring straw and wood!” She spat toward the two. “Haven’t I had things bewitched?—a gold earring taken from under my eyes, and our ricks burned, and ill luck for a year running—and a bat this summer came flapping through the house every eve, and none could beat it down!” She was speaking to the constable’s man who knew Hawthorn. “Wherever that vile witch has been this weary time, be sure she’s sent her word out over all these parts to do us harm—”
“And that’s very possible,” said the round-faced man.
“Aren’t you going to take them by Hawthorn?”