“‘You’re late,’ he said, reaching down some keys from a nail. ‘Where are the rest?’
“‘Outside,’ I replied in a low whisper.
“But, low as it was, the voice was not disguised enough to escape the quick ear of the steward. He turned sharply round and looked at me, while I at the same moment, throwing off my cap, sprang towards him and presented my pistol.
“He was too stunned and terrified to do anything but drop on his knees and utter incoherent entreaties and ejaculations for pity.
“‘How is my father?’ I inquired, not heeding his entreaties, and pointing the pistol still at his head.
“‘Better,’ he faltered—‘much better. Oh, Master—’
“‘Come with me,’ I replied, turning to the door.
“He accompanied me like a lamb. Had my father been worse I had intended to lock him up a prisoner in his own room. As it was, I took him silently and stealthily through the village and delivered him up then and there into the hands of the watch.
“This villain secured, it only remained to make sure of the other two. And this, as it happened, was a very easy task. For both, exhausted by their long, forced march and utterly benumbed by the cold, had fallen into a drowsy stupor under the hedge where they had been left, crouching beside my faithful steed for warmth. In this state it was simple work to secure them and march them off to custody, where at any rate they were not less comfortable for a time than they had been.
“A further visit next morning to the ‘tower by the river,’ which was well known to the watch as a rendezvous of thieves, served to secure the rest of the conspirators: and the law of the land shortly afterwards put it out of their power one and all to practise their wicked craft again.