If the priest's
suspicions had been so lightly wakened, the harm was already done,
and Lawless a prisoner in the church.
"Move not," whispered Dick. "We are in the plaguiest pass, thanks,
before all things, to thy swinishness of yestereven. When ye saw
me here, so strangely seated where I have neither right nor
interest, what a murrain I could ye not smell harm and get ye gone
from evil?"
"Nay," returned Lawless, "I thought ye had heard from Ellis, and
were here on duty."
"Ellis!" echoed Dick. "Is Ellis, then, returned?
"For sure," replied the outlaw. "He came last night, and belted me
sore for being in wine--so there ye are avenged, my master. A
furious man is Ellis Duckworth! He hath ridden me hot-spur from
Craven to prevent this marriage; and, Master Dick, ye know the way
of him--do so he will!"
"Nay, then," returned Dick, with composure, "you and I, my poor
brother, are dead men; for I sit here a prisoner upon suspicion,
and my neck was to answer for this very marriage that he purposeth
to mar.
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