commissions. All that time he had seen no more of Sir
Oliver, and nothing of Matcham; and yet both the priest
and the young lad ran continually in his mind. It was
now his chief purpose to escape from Tunstall Moat
House as speedily as might be; and yet, before he went,
he desired a word with both of these.

At length, with a lamp in one hand, he mounted to his
new apartment. It was large, low, and somewhat dark.
The window looked upon the moat, and although it was
so high up, it was heavily barred. The bed was luxuri-
ous, with one pillow of down and one of lavender, and a
red coverlet worked in a pattern of roses. All about the
walls were cupboards, locked and padlocked, and con-
cealed from view by hangings of dark-coloured arras.
Dick made the round, lifting the arras, sounding the
panels, seeking vainly to open the cupboards. He as-
sured himself that the door was strong and the bolt solid;
then he set down his lamp upon a bracket, and once more
looked all around.

For what reason had he been given this chamber? It
was larger and finer than his own. Could it conceal a
snare? Was there a secret entrance? Was it, indeed,
haunted? His blood ran a little chilly in his veins.

Immediately over him the heavy foot of a sentry trod
the leads. Below him, he knew, was the arched roof of
the chapel; and next to the chapel was the hall. Cer-
tainly there was a secret passage in the hall; the eye
that had watched him from the arras gave him proof of

-116-